The New Jersey Devils of Present and Future Are Already Setting the World(s) on Fire, So to Speak

Nico Hischier:

There it is! Nico Hischier scores his first for the Swiss national team. Assist by #Isles Yannick Rathgeb. 3:0 SUI. pic.twitter.com/dFMjuLH42M

— Adrian Bürgler (@buerglermeister) April 26, 2019

Nico scores his 2nd of the game! #njdevils

Assists: Lukas Frick, Vincent Praplan. pic.twitter.com/nIgLYHVLTJ

— Adrian Bürgler (@buerglermeister) April 26, 2019

Make it 3! Nico Hischier scores a Hattrick in his first ever game for the Swiss men's national team. Nifty deflection. pic.twitter.com/0DSV2WvRvq

— Adrian Bürgler (@buerglermeister) April 26, 2019

Scoring a Hattrick in your first game for the Men's National Team? No biggie for @nicohischier pic.twitter.com/J1Z0oWnuuf

— Swiss Ice Hockey (@SwissIceHockey) April 26, 2019

Jesper Bratt:

□ #NJDevils Jesper Bratt looking fully recovered out there for Sweden.
No points today, but this was a nice chance ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/vifwfxuKEq

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) April 25, 2019

Wowza! Nice goal, Jesper! #NJDevils Jesper Bratt just tied the game 1-1 between Sweden and Finland in the second period of their Euro Hockey Challenge game. pic.twitter.com/S5PinSV0RT

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) April 26, 2019

That's our guy!

Jesper Bratt tallied a goal and was named MVP in Sweden vs Finland today. □ pic.twitter.com/XG2W5jySpM

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) April 26, 2019

Jack Hughes:

Team USA opens the scoring on an unconventional give and go from Jack Hughes and Alex Turcotte.

Turcotte finds Hughes cutting to the net and Hughes goes right back, leaving Turcotte with a yawning cage. #U18Worlds #NTDP pic.twitter.com/S43wClHqLd

— Stars n’ Stripes Hockey (@StarsStripesHKY) April 28, 2019

.@usahockey's Jack Hughes broke a 1-1 tie with a terrific give-and-go with Cam York to tie Alex Ovechkin's all-time scoring record (31 points) at the #U18Worlds. pic.twitter.com/6sFd9CuwGv

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 28, 2019

Jack tallies his 32nd point in the tourney to break Ovi's record. He sets up Cam York for the pretty one-timer to give Team USA a 4-1 lead. #U18Worlds #NTDP pic.twitter.com/itnLXp1U5Q

— Stars n’ Stripes Hockey (@StarsStripesHKY) April 28, 2019

Trust me, the irony of having to celebrate the accomplishments of New Jersey Devils' players, or those who are very likely to be soon, while they are performing for teams other than the New Jersey Devils despite the playoffs still being in full swing is not lost on me. Still, as far as early offseasons go, you can't ask for much better than lucking into the opportunity to select someone who broke a record last held by the best pure scorer in NHL history while the two most dynamic young players already on your roster were making an instant impact internationally.

During an otherwise depressing time of year in which a disappointed fanbase desperately needed reassurance of a brighter future, it's a wonder that every social media savvy Devils' fan hasn't had to make an optometrist appointment after being left temporarily blinded by the amount of highlights they've had flashed in front of their face over the last week. Whether it be Jack Hughes absolutely infantilizing his peers with his effortlessly amazing play, or Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt picking up right where they left in looking more dangerous and more dangerous by the day, what should be a massive summer for the upward trajectory of the franchise has already been granted an extremely promising precursor.

There's still an entire tournament to be played by all three (assuming reports of Hughes' high level of interest accurate). However, what will more than likely serve as half of the Devils' top-six hasn't appeared to waste a damn shift in continuing to realize their potential at every opportunity. Who knows? Maybe Mackenzie Blackwood (who will also be getting some shine in Slovakia) IS on to something...and if not I'll gladly accept the delightful distractions during the aftermath of a doom-and-gloom season...

Mackenzie to Leith: “I truly believe in the next couple of years we’re going to have a great team, especially with the No. 1 pick again. With Hall, Hischier and whoever they take this year [...] It’s just an exciting organization to be a part of right now.”

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) April 29, 2019