“Teams that were interested in Nico Hischier are now looking elsewhere.”

In the eyes of many, Nico Hischier was the perfect fit for the Canadiens' second-line center position. The Devils' captain, who is one year away from unrestricted free agency, checks all the boxes for the ideal candidate to play alongside Nick Suzuki.

A left-hander capable of scoring 30 goals and racking up nearly 70 points, excellent defensively and at the faceoff circle—he had it all.

That said, for a while now, it's been clear that the Swiss player's future is taking shape. Talks between Hischier and the Devils seem to be progressing… and expectations are growing that he'll sign a new contract to stay in New Jersey.

And Pierre LeBrun, in an article for The Athletic, has pretty much confirmed all of this: talks are so far along that other teams hoping to see Hischier become available are now looking elsewhere.

And we know that LeBrun himself has often stated that the Canadiens were among the teams that had a strong interest in Hischier.

NEW for @TheAthletic
: I spoke with Joe Pavelski about what he says was a very good experience interviewing for the Leafs' coaching vacancy.
Plus, updates on the Raddysh sign-and-trade, and news on Pavel Zacha, Nico Hischier, Robert Thomas, Jamie Benn, and more in my latest Rumblings…

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 19, 2026

The insider notes that, barring any unexpected obstacles, Hischier will likely continue his career with the Devils. The bulk of the negotiations has reportedly been settled, and the two sides are now working out the final details.

Keep in mind that the Devils' captain cannot officially sign a new contract until July 1. But from what we understand, the deal is pretty much unofficially done.

It's worth noting that in the same article, LeBrun also adds that Robert Thomas is not expected to be available this summer. Unsurprisingly, these are two major targets that the Habs likely had their sights set on, and who are now—barring a massive turnaround—out of the picture.

No, finding a second center won't be much easier this summer for Kent Hughes.

In Brief

– Patrick Kane congratulates Jonathan Toews on his career.

Congrats to this legend on retirement. One of the best leaders the game has seen. I couldn't have asked for a better teammate to come into the league with, and I'm proud of all our success together over the years. pic.twitter.com/eDIgCBxfHZ

— Patrick Kane (@88PKane) June 19, 2026

– That's not bad.

Elliotte Friedman: I'm looking at this guy Jordan Spence here and I'm thinking, okay, after watching what Shayne Gostisbehere just did… is there a team out there looking at Spence and asking, “Can he be our Gostisbehere?” – FAN Hockey Show (6/16)

— NHL Rumor Report (@NHLRumorReport) June 19, 2026

– A name to watch.

Bruce Garrioch: Fabian Zetterlund, who has three years left on a contract that will pay him $4.275 million US for the next three seasons, is also on the market – Ottawa Citizen (6/16)

— NHL Rumor Report (@NHLRumorReport) June 19, 2026