Hischier was a wide-eyed, quiet, unassuming 18-year-old when he first walked into the Devils locker room as that year’s 1 st -overall selection at the 2017 NHL Draft. Forced immediately into the limelight, he handled the bright lights with brilliance for someone who seeks little attention.

On Saturday afternoon, New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier will skate onto the ice for his 500th career NHL game. He enters the game with 392 career points, including 158 goals. Over the past eight seasons, he has evolved into one of the most important players in the Devils organization, making a nightly impact in all areas of the ice.

Hischier never saw him coming. Tkachuk hit Hischier high and sent him onto his back. ESPN play-by-play announcer Bob Wischusen called it “a big, freight-train hit,” and analyst and former Devils defenseman PK Subban screamed, “Whoa!” on the call. Then all hell broke loose.

Scoring goals wasn’t an issue anyone anticipated the New Jersey Devils to have this season. And to be fair, it wasn’t to start. However, the Devils have recently fallen from grace, and their goal scoring ability has gone with it.

Standing at the podium addressing the media after his team's 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe called out his top players. "Our best players have to be better," he said. "It is that simple. End of statement."

On Tuesday, tensions boiled over once again in the NHL as the Florida Panthers took on the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center. Panthers’ star Matthew Tkachuk found himself locked into a chokehold by a Devils star after he landed a massive hit on Nico Hischier.

Tensions boiled over Tuesday night at Prudential Center as the Florida Panthers defeated the New Jersey Devils 2-1 in a shootout.

New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe shares his reasoning for putting Nathan Bastian with Jack Hughes and Ondrej Palat.

BOTTOM LINE: The New Jersey Devils look to stop a three-game losing streak when they take on the Ottawa Senators. New Jersey is 26-16-6 overall and 13-7-4 in home games. The Devils have a 26-3-3 record in games they score at least three goals.

New Jersey Devils (26-15-6, in the Metropolitan Division) Newark, New Jersey; Saturday, 12:30 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: The New Jersey Devils host the Philadelphia Flyers after Nico Hischier's two ...

Hischier scored a goal in Tuesday's 2-1 shootout loss to the Panthers.

Hischier was a wide-eyed, quiet, unassuming 18-year-old when he first walked into the Devils locker room as that year’s 1 st -overall selection at the 2017 NHL Draft. Forced immediately into the limelight, he handled the bright lights with brilliance for someone who seeks little attention.