NEWARK -- Nico Hischier showed something in his first NHL game that stats and numbers can't quantify.

When Devils forward Kyle Palmieri went knee-to-knee with Colorado Avalanche forward Erik Johnson, causing Palmieri to hit the ice hard and limp to the locker room, Hischier wasted no time skating over to Johnson and getting in his face for the hit.

In his first real opportunity to step up for a teammate, the 18-year-old showed no hesitation.

"I just saw Palms go down and thought it's kind of bad," Hischier said. "So I just stepped up for him. I thought that was the right choice, and just stepped up for my teammates, saying can't let this go through. He said thanks at the end, so I really think it was the right choice. It wasn't much. I didn't fight him, I just tried to make a sign or do something."

Hischier admitted on Sunday he has never actually dropped the gloves in a game, and other teammates converged on Johnson before things escalated further.

When the Devils drafted Hischier, they knew they were getting an offensively gifted player who could make a short and long-term impact on the team. And based on what Devils saw in Hischier off the ice, standing up for Palmieri wasn't a surprise.

"Nico continues to show the type of person he is, the type of competitor he is, the type of teammate he is," Devils coach John Hynes said. "That's one of the reasons why as an organization we decided to pick him first overall, the fabric of who he is as a person, and when you have a player like him do that fora teammate as a first-year guy, first ever NHL game, is really important."

Hischier's actions earned him The Jacket -- a new postgame tradition started by the Devils after their trip to West Point. Following wins, one player will get the green camouflage jacket for standing up and supporting teammates.

The Devils emphasized playing for each other rather than just with each other during the preseason, and having Hischier display it in his first game was an added bonus.

"That's something we've talked about, and we've seen it a bunch of times, even at times last year," forward Adam Henrique said. "Different guys jump in and step up for their guy when he's unable to defend himself. It was great to see him get over there and not shy away at all and earn himself the jacket tonight. Drafting him first overall, that's not what everybody expected. But it's awesome to see."

Chris Ryan may be reached at cryan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRyan_NJ. Find NJ.com Devils on Facebook.