«That's what's cool about Magglingen!» – NHL superstar Nico Hischier spends time over the summer training at the National Sports Centre
Nico Hischier (24) was the No 1 pick in the 2017 NHL draft and is now captain of the New Jersey Devils in the world's best ice hockey league. Every summer he returns to the National Sports Centre in Magglingen to train. We met up for a chat with the affable Valais native on the terrace of the Grand Hôtel.
Nico, you live in your team's home state of New Jersey, travelling from city to city every week. You're now in the tranquil surroundings of Magglingen. How do you manage the transition between these two very different worlds?
They really are different worlds, each great in their own way. I love being abroad, and I love coming back to Switzerland and Magglingen too. It's always nice to meet up with people I haven't seen in ages, and the training facilities here are excellent.
Your social environment also changes completely when you come back to Switzerland. During the season you train with and play against the best hockey players in the world, whereas here you share the weights room and the 'End der Welt' sports hall with other Swiss athletes from all kinds of disciplines.
That's what's cool about Magglingen. You see so many athletes from a whole range of sports, as well as a lot of hockey players I still know from my time as a youth player. Magglingen offers us everything we need to prepare for next season.
What is it you like about the National Sports Centre here in Magglingen?
The infrastructure and training opportunities are amazing. Whether it's the weights room, sports massage or physiotherapy, everything here is done at the highest level. And as I said earlier, it's always really nice to be reunited with old friends here.
You volunteered to attend basic military training under the elite athlete programme in 2020, even though you were exempt from military service as a Swiss living abroad. How do you look back on that time?
My basic training started during the pandemic when all the gyms and sports halls were closed. So by doing my military service, I was still able to train, which was a real stroke of luck. It was a very strange situation though. Basic training began with a period of quarantine, and then we had to follow very strict rules. We had to keep to small groups, though we still managed to get to know other athletes and see how they trained. It was an interesting time and a truly positive experience.
Akira Schmid, one of your three Swiss teammates at the Devils, is set to start his basic military training in Magglingen next spring. Do you have any tips for him?
See it through! (laughs) There aren't too many tips I can give him. It will probably be very different to when I was here. But I would definitely tell him to use the opportunity to get to know other athletes. And of course to make the most of the training sessions.
You're here in Magglingen for two weeks this summer. What else are you doing to prepare for next season?
At the start of the summer I tend to do more off-ice training, before gradually hitting the ice again. In August I'll start training with SC Bern. That gives me the chance to train with a team – which is a great opportunity and far from a given. I might also do another week of practice on the ice in Zurich, where there's a training group with NHL players Jonas Siegenthaler, Denis Malgin and Pius Suter. And I always use the summer to travel around Switzerland too.
Last season you led the Devils as captain to their first playoffs in five years, reaching the second round for the first time in eleven years. When will you be lifting the Stanley Cup?
As soon as possible! (winks) It's a very tough trophy to win. Our brief time in the playoffs this spring made that clear. We were knocked out in the second round but even that was very tough physically. Ultimately, setting yourself deadlines only puts you under unnecessary pressure. The important thing is to improve from year to year. I think we took a huge step forward last season – a lot of people would have expected it to take another year or two for us to get that far. Our goal should be to consistently reach the playoffs every year. After 82 games, only 16 out of 32 teams make it to the playoffs, so it's a big challenge. We had an amazing season, and I hope we can build on it.
If you do win the Stanley Cup, you've got to bring the trophy to Magglingen, right?
(Laughs) I'd have to take it to Valais first. But I'll gladly consider it when the time comes. I can't say I've really given it much thought yet, though.
More Information
Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen SFISM
Hauptstrasse 247
2532 Magglingen