New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier is being hailed as a hero after coming to the rescue of a family in distress while boating in his native Switzerland this summer. According to Swiss German-language outlet 20 Minuten, the NHL star spotted a family struggling on the water near the Engehalde Weir, a dam close to the city of Bern, and stepped in to help during the league's offseason.

The family — two adults and two children — had been in an inflatable raft that was being pulled towards the dam and were unable to get themselves out of danger. Hischier's intervention was described as "heroic", and he later played down his role, saying everyone was grateful for the support and relieved that no one was hurt, while also crediting the first responders who assisted. Hischier, the top pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, represented Switzerland at the 2025 Winter Olympics in Milan and was recently signed by the Devils to a five-year contract extension worth an $11.7m average annual value, which begins after the coming season.