NHL Swiss title chances: hopes are pinned on the Devils quartet

The Wallis captain is improving from year to year, scoring 80 points in 81 games last season. He also received the second most votes in voting for the league’s best defensive striker. And since defending champion Patrice Bergeron, who won the Selke Trophy six times, announced his retirement, Hischier was able to secure an individual prize with a strong season as the second Swiss after Roman Josi (Norris Trophy 2020). After a surprisingly strong last season, expectations for the young Devils team have increased. With Jack Hughes (22) and Hischier, the franchise just outside New York will be well-staffed in the middle position in the coming years. Hischier is now the longest-tenured Devils player.

After moving from San Jose and his first 40-goal season, Appenzeller signed long-term with New Jersey (70.4 million for 8 years). The power striker must now repay this with goals, probably alongside Hischier. New Jersey won all of its preseason games.

The Zurich native has long established himself as one of the best defensive backs in the league and will likely keep the more attack-oriented Doug Hamilton in the first line of defense this season.

The Emmentaler native has only 24 qualifying matches to his name, but defeated rival Vitek Vanecek in the play-offs and shone in the derby series against the New York Rangers. This will be the year of confirmation for Schmid. His entry-level contract expires at the end of the season. He must show the ambitious Devils that he meets the highest standards and that they do not need to look for reinforcements in the goalkeeper position.

The Kings are also hoping to get closer to the absolute top of the league after recently failing twice in the play-offs to Edmonton with superstars McDavid and Draisaitl. Fiala is the most powerful weapon in the Californians’ offense, scoring more than a point per game last season. Now Pierre-Luc Dubois has been brought in from Winnipeg to support the Eastern Swiss player.

The Chur resident wants to secure another good contract with a strong season. And with his current working document expiring, another mid-season move cannot be ruled out if the Jets are not on track for the playoffs. A trade could bring the Swiss closer to the Stanley Cup victory he dreams of. He could be the perfect late addition for a title contender. With Winnipeg, he’s unlikely to get his hands on the trophy.

A lot has changed around the Predators’ captain and superstar in the past year. First players, including Josi’s friend Niederreiter, were given up, after which the new general manager, Barry Despite, upgraded the team again. Will that, new coach Andrew Brunette (for the unloved John Hynes) and a strong goalkeeper (Juuse Saros) be enough to return to the play-offs?

Although the Canucks have a top center in Swede Elias Pettersson, they have missed the playoffs the past three years. For Suter, Vancouver is already the third NHL destination after Chicago and Detroit. And once again he cannot assume that he will play for the title. The Wallisellen ZH striker is versatile: both as a center and as a winger, both in an attacking role and defensively.

The Bernese missed the preparation due to a wrist injury and will also miss the start of the season. He had won a big pay raise at the NHL Arbitration Court. The striker received a two-year contract worth $4.5 million. But in Chicago right now it’s all about young star Connor Bedard (18), whom the Blackhawks picked No. 1 in the draft this summer and who should make the traditional club shine again – but that won’t happen anytime soon.

The defender from Safern in Zealand will also probably make a big jump soon in terms of wages. His entry-level contract (925,000) expires in the spring. Last season he proved that he can also be productive offensively and recorded 31 points. But you can save yourself title dreams in the desert state, even if the Coyotes recently upgraded and now field an extremely talented striker in Logan Cooley (19).

Goaltender Ludovic Waeber (Florida), defenseman Lian Bichsel (Dallas) and striker André Heim (St. Louis) start the season in the AHL.