2017 NHL draft Profile: Nico Hischier is the most explosive player in the class

If Nolan Patrick is the most well-rounded prospect in the 2017 NHL draft, then Swiss megastar Nico Hischier is its most exciting raw talent.

After making his World Juniors debut and torching Switzerland’s top under-20 junior league (where he won the championship and led the playoffs in assists) in 2015-2016 with 37 points in 27 combined regular season and playoff games as a 16-year-old, Hischier made the move to North America this season.

After being taken sixth overall in the CHL Import Draft, Hischier joined the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League where he was the league’s best young player by a wide margin, finishing first among rookies in all of points (86), goals (38), and assists (48) in just 57 games en route to winning Rookie of the Year and the Mike Bossy Trophy as the league’s best professional prospect. Hischier’s 86 points were 12 more than the next-closest under-18 player in the QMJHL (Antoine Morand) despite playing 10 fewer games. His 1.51 points per game was good for fourth in the QMJHL behind Daniel Sprong (Penguins, 46th overall in 2015), Vitalii Abramov (Blue Jackets, 66th overall in 2016) and Filip Chlapik (Senators, 48th overall in 2015).

Internationally, he rejoined Team Switzerland at the World Juniors for the second time, nearly dragging them into the semis with a sensational performance against Team USA in the quarters. At the tournament, he picked up four goals and three assists for seven points in five games before he was named one of Switzerland’s three best players. After a two-goal effort against the Americans, Team USA head coach Bob Motzko called Hischier the best player they’d seen all tournament — high praise for a draft-eligible player in a tournament normally dominated by its eldest.

Along the way, he picked up 4.1 shots per game and developed at a startling pace, quickly emerging as one of the most gifted players in the class.

The crux of Hischier’s game rests in his ability as a skater and handler — those two traits open up the space and scoring chances for the rest of his skills to take over.

As a skater, Hischier is among the most dynamic forwards in the class. Not only is he explosive on a linear standstill, he’s also explosive laterally. When you match this with high-end pace, the ability to change directions and an elite top speed, and you’ve got a near perfect combo-skater. His stride is effortless and fluid, allowing him to quickly adjust in traffic.

While Hischier lacks the strength and size of a player like Patrick, his footwork and edge work allow him to shield himself from being overpowered — or avoid contact altogether. While his lack of strength can limit him in puck battles, Hischier takes a great deal of pride in his defensive game and works hard to come away with possession with his movement and stick work.

As a handler, Hischier excels on his forehand and backhand as one of the best puck carriers in the 2017 NHL draft and someone who thrives with possession, cleanly beating good defenders — and often making them look foolish — in transition. With the puck, he’s an incredibly poised, sometimes too cerebral handler. But with time and space, which he often creates for himself by pushing back defenders or gaining separation with his skating, Hischier’s extremely dangerous (especially on the power play, where he can man the wall and the point).

His game isn’t limited to his ability as a high-end skater or carrier, though. Hischier’s movement away from the puck draws attention with its aggression, opening up space for teammates. At his best, when he’s making quick, decisive moves away from the puck, Hischier can torment teams in the offensive zone. And because he’s such a strong skater, and he’s committed to the defensive end, Hischier does a wonderful job getting back in transition to apply pressure and force turnovers through the neutral zone.

Hischier’s also a lethal shooter, who can score from distance with his one-timer (which is both hard and accurate) and in the heart of the slot with a quick, release that he likes to use high glove side.

Watch below as Hischier finishes off his back heel in transition:

And again, in the same game, extending through his body (from a standstill rather than in transition this time):

Ultimately, Hischier has proven himself to be one of if not the most dynamic offensive player in the 2017 class (followed closely by Kailer Yamamoto and Eeli Tolvanen in that regard).

While he lacks the strength and size and possession-carrying ability of Patrick, Hischier has the skill necessary to be a first-line player in the NHL, and someone who has established himself as the clearcut second-best prospect in this year’s draft.

In Hischier, you have a player who is a lock to become the highest-drafted Swiss-born player in NHL history, surpassing countryman Nino Niederreiter (fifth overall).

Note: Scott Wheeler is a senior scout with scouting service Future Considerations. He also formerly scouted the NHL draft for McKeen’s Hockey. This is part of a series of 2017 NHL draft profiles he’ll be writing for SB Nation. You can follow him at @scottcwheeler.