Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Devils' Hischier spending offseason in Swiss army

Written by 
Published in Hockey
Saturday, 20 June 2020 12:56

With the New Jersey Devils missing out on the NHL's 24-team return from the pause caused by the novel coronavirus, center Nico Hischier is putting his extended offseason to good use.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft is fulfilling his military obligation to Switzerland, which has a mandatory 18-week service for men followed by three-week stints over the next six or seven years.

Hischier had thought about fulfilling it during the season, but with the Devils uncertain when they would return from the pause, it turned out to be the perfect option.

"One reason I did it was I needed to stay in shape," Hischier said Saturday on a Zoom call. "I didn't know where to go because gyms weren't open and I couldn't just work out at home. I just didn't have the tools for a good workout there. For a couple weeks it worked, but I felt like I needed to go somewhere to be prepared when we had to go back and play again. Then the army came and they had a great solution because where I'm working right now, that's a great building. They have everything there you need."

The 21-year-old Hischier is in a special program for athletes, although the first four weeks of classes were held remotely because of the virus. He is now attending classes to learn emergency medical techniques, among other things, in the mornings and working out with fellow athletes in the afternoon, including some hockey players from the Swiss national team.

He is not learning how to march or drive a tank, and he's not heading to the firing range to shoot an automatic weapon. The soldiers in Switzerland's professional army do that.

Hischier does get a uniform and there are rules to follow. He works five days, goes home and returns the following week. He does not have a rank -- yet.

"We didn't do much army stuff yet," Hichier said, although he expects it will increase by the time he finishes in mid-August.

Hischier is coming off what he considers a disappointing season. Like most of the Devils, he played well after a bad start led to the firing of coach John Hynes and general manager Ray Shero. He finished with 14 goals and 22 assists in 58 games. New Jersey posted a 28-29-12 record, finishing 12-5-4 in the last 21 contests under interim coach Alain Nasreddine.

"Obviously, it wasn't a year that we expect," Hischier said. "A lot of things happened, obviously, with all those changes. It wasn't easy. I think the biggest thing for us was that we had a really bad start. It's always frustrating and not easy when you're down in the standings and you have to catch up."

Hischier felt he took a few steps forward in his third season, but the team's lack of success took away from that.

With the late-season trade of defenseman Andy Greene, Hischier is open to the idea of replacing him as the Devils' captain next season. He was an alternate captain this season.

"At the end of the day, I'm still a young player," Hischier said. "I still got a long, long way to go, a lot of things that I don't know yet. I need to learn."

It's like learning to be in the army in some ways.

Read 2025 times

Soccer

Arsenal's Arteta on Gabriel injury: We can cope

Arsenal's Arteta on Gabriel injury: We can cope

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMikel Arteta has claimed Arsenal "have the resources to cope" with...

Amorim: 'Crazy' to believe Man Utd could win Prem

Amorim: 'Crazy' to believe Man Utd could win Prem

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsRuben Amorim said he would be "crazy" to think Manchester United ca...

Forget Haaland, Mbappé, Salah: Barcelona's Torres is Europe's most prolific forward

Forget Haaland, Mbappé, Salah: Barcelona's Torres is Europe's most prolific forward

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsWhen you think of who the most prolific goal-scorer in Europe's top...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

How Nikola Jokic quietly became a defensive analytics darling

How Nikola Jokic quietly became a defensive analytics darling

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsDRAPED IN A towel, Anthony Edwards burst into the Target Center hom...

Butler plays through forearm issue, iffy for Fri.

Butler plays through forearm issue, iffy for Fri.

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLOS ANGELES -- Golden State Warriors star forward Jimmy Butler suff...

Baseball

Judge gets 500th extra-base hit; 3rd-fastest Yank

Judge gets 500th extra-base hit; 3rd-fastest Yank

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Aaron Judge smiled and perhaps blushed when informed of...

Reds: 1st since 1960 to lose 3 straight by 1-0

Reds: 1st since 1960 to lose 3 straight by 1-0

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMILWAUKEE -- The Cincinnati Reds lost 1-0 to the Milwaukee Brewers...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated