Patrick Fischer: Hischier Will 'Impact Generations' | FEATURE

"Are you ready for this?"
That was the question that Patrick Fischer, the Swiss national team head coach asked Nico Hischier. Fischer felt the national team was at a point where there were thoughts about a change in the leadership that could be on the horizon.
There is the weight of carrying a National Hockey League club as a captain, and then there is the weight of representing and carrying the captaincy for an entire nation. Fischer didn't take his decision-making lightly, but he had his player in mind.
"You know, it's representing a country as a captain, and is he up for the challenge and obviously, well accepted by the guys around and this core group we know we call it, in the group we have made a drastic change. And now he's a leader of this new leadership group within us, the country."

In May, Nico Hischier put on his Swiss national team jersey for the first time with a 'C' stitched to his chest for a men's tournament.
"He did a great job at the World's and which is always you know, you cannot expect it either, you know some guys they get slowed down by a letter on the chest and obviously, the experience with New Jersey helps him, but he realizes also, you know, he still is learning to become even a better leader."
If we turn back the clock, there were rumblings of the boy from Brig who had the potential to do something special andFischer recalls initially meeting Hischier when he was just 16 years old, saying he already knew about him, that he was 'very, super talented.' He took over the Swiss National Team program in December 2015, and soon after he saw that talent evolve first-hand watching in 2017 Nico turn heads at the World Junior Championship, a tournament that truly began to shift the conversation, could Hischier be the first player from Switzerland to be drafted first overall.
Long story short: He was.
"When that happened, then the Devils decided to pick him as first overall, I mean, this was such a big event in Switzerland," Fischer said reflecting on that early morning. "I mean, I mean, as a hockey country, you know, we are still developing we are we trying to, you know, get better and learn from the best, and then having a player getting this honor gives a big, big, big, big motivation (and) impact into all the hockey players in Switzerland."
Fischer believes his country, and the greater hockey world, might only truly feel the impact of that 2017 draft in the next 20 years. Now 46, when Fischer was growing up playing hockey, he had a dream of playing in the Swiss league, calling it 'the dream at the time'. He eventually made it to the NHL briefly, where we played for the Coyotes for 27 games. At the time, he recalls having Mark Streit as another Swiss player in the league, perhaps at that moment with the biggest impact in North America.
"I always believe generations or cultures, they grow through examples and through good examples, and you know we had with Mark Streit a first Swiss guy who was a captain with the Islanders and he was a good, positive example."

Later there was Roman Josi and Nino Niederreiter, and now here comes Nico. Working with the young Swiss talent now, what he sees are the dreams changing for the younger Swiss generation, dreams of wanting to play in the NHL 'thanks to examples like that'. But there was certainly something more significant in that moment on June 23, 2017, when the Devils called Hischier's name at the draft.
"I think that Nico being first (pick) overall just kind of shows to everyone, hey everything is possible," he said, adding "the impact you will see in 20 years when they say, you know, that's when the Nico and Josi, this really helped to get Switzerland on the map and get respect from the other countries."
And it sounds as though there could not be a better player and person suited for this moment.
"Obviously, super happy that it happened to him because yeah, he has a humble, the humble heart, you know, and he works and I think he didn't, he didn't even realize how big that was, I think until now."
Long-Term Commitment to Siegenthaler
Fischer also made note of the
recent five-year contract extension
that the Devils and Siegenthaler agreed to last week as an important one for both the player and team.
"For Jonas, it's really the confidence, to feel the confidence is kind of high, where he really needs to feel good and honest treatment and I think that's what he's felt in New Jersey, and he got the chance, and they kept building with him and then he gives you everything back. He cares and can play hard and tough."
With his extension beginning in 2023-24, Siegenthaler is under contract for the next six seasons and is a commitment the Swiss national coach believes should bring out the best in the 25-year-old defenseman.
"I know him very well. He's very excited about this. And this gives him, the trust they put in him you know, it makes him grow even more and having the calmness you know, he's a guy he, he plays best when he's relaxed but he's going to play hard. And I think that's when he has this role and he knows is appreciated, and he's a guy they really count on, yeah, that's when he plays his best."