New Jersey's Nico Hischier Out With Leg Injury

The New Jersey Devils are preparing for what they hope is a bounce-back season and have spent the offseason acquiring some talent to boost their roster. Unfortunately, the team is getting off on the wrong foot, literally. 

The Devils will be without center Nico Hischier when training camp opens after the young forward suffered a leg injury training in Switzerland in early December. The injury reportedly won't require surgery and the team is hopeful it will be a short-term absence. The Devils are being careful as they don't want a setback and for Hischier to miss extended time considering it's a shortened 56-game season.

The Devils originally selected Hischier first overall at the 2017 draft and it's taken him a couple years to get his legs under him, pardon the pun. In 209 career games, Hischier has 51 goals and 84 assists. The Swiss native is entering the first-year of his massive contract extension that pays him over $7 million per season.

Photo credit:  Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire