Hischier's family thrilled his dream has become reality with Devils

NATERS, Switzerland --There's a list of family rules that Nico Hischier's parents, Rino and Katja, refer to when asked about the sudden popularity of their son.

The guidelines are strung together on pieces of wood that hang on the wall of the living room of their townhouse here, where the New Jersey Devils center was raised.
Among the 11 rules listed is "Dream big," something the youngest of three siblings took to heart.

"Our family sat down often to have discussions because we are a family that has fun together, and we have family rules right there on the wall that we try and live by," said Rino Hischier, sitting in a chair in his kitchen. "We tried to do our best for our three children. It's not easy."
It might not be easy, but they can take pride in the fact the message stuck.
The big dreams for Nico, 19, became reality at the 2017 NHL Draft when he became the first Switzerland-born player taken with the No. 1 pick. Following a rookie season when he scored 52 points (20 goals, 32 assists) and helped the Devils reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in six seasons, he enters the 2018-19 season as New Jersey's No. 1 center.
This week, he has been the unofficial face of the 2018 NHL Global Series Challenge in nearby Bern, getting a rousing ovation from the 17,031 in attendance for the preseason game between the Devils and SC Bern at PostFinance Arena on Monday.
The Devils open their season against the Edmonton Oilers at Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, MSG+, NHL.TV).
Dream big, indeed.
"My family has done everything to help me get to where I am and I owe them so much," Nico said. "Our family is close and we always help each other."
Rino Hischier had to secure more than 100 ticket requests for family and friends to the game, including Nico's grandparents, Gregor (Rino's dad), and Peter and Mariell Ritz (Katja's parents). The Devils won the game 3-2 in overtime.
Hischier's interactions with his family this week epitomized seven more of the family rules: "Help each other," "Be thankful," "Know you are loved," "Be happy," "Show compassion," "Be grateful" and "Respect one another."
Katja and Rino met in Naters and have been married 24 years. Their townhouse is situated less than 2 miles from Brig, which offers the nearest hospital, where Nico was born. Naters is a friendly town of approximately 8,000 with narrow streets and plenty of roundabouts.

An elevator takes you four floors up to get to the Hischier living quarters, which has two floors. The kitchen leads out to a long deck overlooking the cities of Brig and Naters.
The living room and kitchen are connected so after-dinner conversation usually lasted until the kids decided to head to their rooms. It's a cozy atmosphere and includes an original Wurlitzer jukebox that stands against the wall in the living room. Katja has several works of art hanging on the walls, some created by her daughter, Nina, and other treasured pieces by her grandfather, Willy Thaler.
Nico was never one to sit inside and watch television or play video games for hours on end; he preferred some type of outdoor activity and usually did so alongside Luca, his older brother, and Nina. Luca, 23, who plays for HC Davos in Switzerland, has been a big hockey influence on Nico. Nina, 21, studies at the University of Bern.

"Nico always wanted to play and do what the older kids wanted to do," Katja said. "Luca, Nina and Nico often played outside in the park, which wasn't that far away from home. He also loved to do somersaults off the 3-meter dive at the town pool. In the winter, they'd ski and snowboard."
Since there weren't any ice rinks available in Naters, Katja used take Nico and Luca on a 15-minute drive to Litterna-Halle in Visp for skating and hockey lessons. Today, there is a rink in Naters and another rink is being built less than a mile away from Litterna-Halle.
Nico and Luca worked their way up the ranks in Visp and eventually Bern before Nico chose to play for Halifax of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2016-17. The decision to leave Switzerland to play in Nova Scotia wasn't easy, but Luca was influential in steering his brother in that direction because he felt it would provide a stronger foundation.

It did.
Hischier and Brandon center Nolan Patrick were considered the frontrunners to go Nos. 1-2 in the 2017 draft.
In the days leading up to the draft, Devils general manager Ray Shero traveled to Switzerland to meet with Nico, a gesture very much appreciated by his father. Nico Hischier and Shero met in Bern, had lunch and some coffee, and talked about family and life. Shero wanted to learn more about Hischier's background, and Hischier was curious about the Devils' plans.
"When I met his mom and dad in Chicago for the first time after we selected him, I promised Rino and Katja one thing ... that I would take care of their son," Shero said. "It had nothing to do with hockey, but I just wanted them to know they didn't have to worry.
"I have two boys, 19 and 21, and as a parent, your only worry is if it's the right place, the right team, the right people when they go away."
Shero later recalled a conversation he had with Rino during Nico's media tour at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, three days after the draft.
"After we finished the media event, I was walking down the stairs of the stage and Rino asked if he could speak with me and I was like, 'Oh boy,'" Shero said. "He said, 'Ray, it's only been a few days, but me and Katja want you to know that we know this is the right team for Nico.' They loved the fact we never placed any pressure on him, any expectations."
Among NHL rookies last season, Hischier finished tied for seventh in goals, fifth in assists and tied for sixth in points. But those numbers mean little to the family Hischier left behind in Switzerland to chase this dream. The way he has gone about it is what they cherish.
"I think what I'm most proud of is the fact he's good at making decisions and is confident in those decisions," Katja said. "When he left home [for Halifax], I said to him, 'Nico, you always have a place here.' He knows that he can always come home. That was important for me to let him know, and I think it was important for him."

For many European players, moving away from home is a difficult experience. It hasn't been for Nico Hischier, who has relied on another of the family rules hanging in the living room of his boyhood home: "Try new things."