Top pick Hischier has big skates to fill
Devils rookie won’t compare himself to Leafs’ Matthews, last year’s Calder winner
Nico Hischier knows he has a tough act to follow.
As the No. 1 overall pick in the summer draft and one of the players to keep an eye on for the Calder Trophy, the New Jersey Devils forward acknowledges Auston Matthews set a high standard for the draft’s top pick.
Matthews started with a four-goal debut and seemed to get better from there. In fact, the rookie class of 2016-17 is a heck of an act to follow: Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine scored one highlight-reel goal after another; goaltender Matt Murray won a Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh; and Columbus defenceman Zach Werenski posted numbers at 19 not seen since Bobby Orr.
And that’s not getting into the group surrounding Matthews in Toronto that went through their “firsts” together as a unit, urging each other and competing to be better at the same time.
“When you see what those guys did, light it up, it’s a hard act to follow,” Hischier said. “I don’t compare myself to those guys. I just try to be myself.”
If there’s a comparison to be made, it’s Hischier’s Devils this year to Matthews’ Leafs last year. The Devils have such an influx of young talent that Hischier might not be their most impressive rookie.
That could be Jesper Bratt, who led all rookies with five points, including three goals, heading into Wednesday’s game against the Leafs. Bratt is just 19, and made the incredible leap from being a sixth-round pick in 2016 to a top-six NHL forward the following year.
“The nice thing to see is consistency,” Devils coach John Hynes said. “We know the talent level is there.”
Most eyes will focus on Hischier for the year, as the spotlight tends to follow the first overall pick, for better or worse. He will show well, say his teammates.
“He’s not looking to cheat the game,” Devils goalie Cory Schneider said. “He’s not looking to just put up points and play his own style. He’s really buying into what we’re trying to do here and do what’s asked of him.
“He’s a responsible two-way player who does a lot of little things well. Again, an 18-year-old player who has the IQ and the sense of where to be. He’s a wiry kid, but the puck is always on his stick when he comes out of the battle.”
It’s early in the year, and many of the rookies could well be somewhere else when they hit nine games. If they play a 10th game, the clock ticks on the first year of their three-year entry-level deal. If they go back to junior, that year is deferred.
Still, there are rookies off to impressive starts.
Sonny Milano has four goals for Columbus. Martin Frk has three points with Detroit. And Chicago has another sniper on the way in Alex DeBrincat (one goal, two assists).
DeBrincat is coming off three straight 50-goal seasons in the Ontario Hockey League.
“I don’t know if I should expect that,” DeBrincat said. “Defence is a big part of the game, and being a young guy, that’s what I’m focusing on. Offence will come. It’s kind of the easy part of the game.”