Spartan Stories: Müller Focused On Reaching Individual and Team Potential
12/18/2023 1:11:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
By Jake Myers, Special to MSUSpartans.com
Chasing success in hockey matters a lot to Michigan State forward Nicolas Müller. His love for the sport has taken him from his home of Arisdorf, Switzerland, to Sweden, and now to East Lansing.
Müller, a fifth-year senior and a team alternate captain, had the opportunity to play for MSU for another year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an easy decision after leading the Spartans in points last season.
"Playing college for four years, it's always the goal to play in the tournament. Last year, we were so close. The other thing is that I love it here – we've got everything here. It was just, for me, a no-brainer to come back for a fifth season," Müller said.
Müller earned a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology last spring, and is now pursuing a second bachelor's degree in German. He left Switzerland in 2015, to play in the Modo Hockey league in Sweden, before heading to MSU.
"I only did part of my school in Switzerland, and in Switzerland it's always a dual language country. I have a lot of French and a little bit of German…just keeping in mind that I probably will eventually go back to Switzerland after hockey, and to get a job, I need to get some polishing on my writing," Müller said.
While he has thrived on the ice, Müller had a bit of a rough patch adjusting to American life when he arrived at MSU. He endured some homesickness as the transition to college and a new country forced him to adapt to a new culture. Unlike some of his teammates, he's not able to just go home for a weekend for a quick fix like some MSU students can. His family is 4,000 miles away. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting limitations of travel, also added a wrinkle to his connection to home.
"It was definitely a little challenging in the beginning, then it was also was a little weird because two years of my college career was impacted by COVID," he said. "It was definitely a little weird (being in East Lansing), but it's a blast now. It's unreal to experience East Lansing and the other places around the US that hockey takes us. It's an honor, and it's super cool."
Narrowly missing the NCAA tournament last season was another reason Müller decided to return. The Spartans have not reached the NCAA tournament since 2012. This team is focused on breaking through that barrier, but trying not to look too far ahead.
"Personally, and I guess as a team as , its important for us to go game to game, don't look forward too much. Give your best every practice and every game. That's the mindset I wanted to go into the season with," Müller said.
Leadership, especially through being a team captain, is another focus for Müller. He believes he is at his best leading by example, doing things to show the younger players. This year's Spartan hockey team has an influx of youth with 10 freshmen, and has looked towards its veteran players to help create the culture Nightingale believes to be a winning formula.
"I just think his poise," said MSU head coach Adam Nightingale. "He's got a lot of poise to his game just the way he goes about his business. Its the way he trains, the way he recovers, all those things - it's really good for our young guys to see.
"He's a low maintenance guy, he's kind of what we're looking for. He's a team guy, wants to be coached, doesn't act like he has all the answers. What I really like about his humility he has to him he was leading our team in scoring and he came to me and said, 'Coach, would you mind if I came back for a fifth year?'" Nightingale recalls.
Müller is focused on making the NHL, but also has major aspirations to represent his country at the highest level. He has played in several international competitions, but has not yet made the senior Swiss National team.
"I've been lucky to play for the under-18 through under-20 world championships there, so it's been an honor and for me it would be huge to get to the international team, play world championships or in the Olympics," Müller said.
Müller credits MSU for being able to build up players and set them on track to succeed at the next level. His motivation is simple, he's here to win.
"Just being the best I can be is my goal," notes Müller. I want to reach my potential, the fullest out, and I think it's a great place to do so with the coaching staff and what we have here."
Chasing success in hockey matters a lot to Michigan State forward Nicolas Müller. His love for the sport has taken him from his home of Arisdorf, Switzerland, to Sweden, and now to East Lansing.
Müller, a fifth-year senior and a team alternate captain, had the opportunity to play for MSU for another year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an easy decision after leading the Spartans in points last season.
"Playing college for four years, it's always the goal to play in the tournament. Last year, we were so close. The other thing is that I love it here – we've got everything here. It was just, for me, a no-brainer to come back for a fifth season," Müller said.
Müller earned a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology last spring, and is now pursuing a second bachelor's degree in German. He left Switzerland in 2015, to play in the Modo Hockey league in Sweden, before heading to MSU.
"I only did part of my school in Switzerland, and in Switzerland it's always a dual language country. I have a lot of French and a little bit of German…just keeping in mind that I probably will eventually go back to Switzerland after hockey, and to get a job, I need to get some polishing on my writing," Müller said.
While he has thrived on the ice, Müller had a bit of a rough patch adjusting to American life when he arrived at MSU. He endured some homesickness as the transition to college and a new country forced him to adapt to a new culture. Unlike some of his teammates, he's not able to just go home for a weekend for a quick fix like some MSU students can. His family is 4,000 miles away. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting limitations of travel, also added a wrinkle to his connection to home.
"It was definitely a little challenging in the beginning, then it was also was a little weird because two years of my college career was impacted by COVID," he said. "It was definitely a little weird (being in East Lansing), but it's a blast now. It's unreal to experience East Lansing and the other places around the US that hockey takes us. It's an honor, and it's super cool."Narrowly missing the NCAA tournament last season was another reason Müller decided to return. The Spartans have not reached the NCAA tournament since 2012. This team is focused on breaking through that barrier, but trying not to look too far ahead.
"Personally, and I guess as a team as , its important for us to go game to game, don't look forward too much. Give your best every practice and every game. That's the mindset I wanted to go into the season with," Müller said.
Leadership, especially through being a team captain, is another focus for Müller. He believes he is at his best leading by example, doing things to show the younger players. This year's Spartan hockey team has an influx of youth with 10 freshmen, and has looked towards its veteran players to help create the culture Nightingale believes to be a winning formula.
"I just think his poise," said MSU head coach Adam Nightingale. "He's got a lot of poise to his game just the way he goes about his business. Its the way he trains, the way he recovers, all those things - it's really good for our young guys to see.
"He's a low maintenance guy, he's kind of what we're looking for. He's a team guy, wants to be coached, doesn't act like he has all the answers. What I really like about his humility he has to him he was leading our team in scoring and he came to me and said, 'Coach, would you mind if I came back for a fifth year?'" Nightingale recalls.
Müller is focused on making the NHL, but also has major aspirations to represent his country at the highest level. He has played in several international competitions, but has not yet made the senior Swiss National team.
"I've been lucky to play for the under-18 through under-20 world championships there, so it's been an honor and for me it would be huge to get to the international team, play world championships or in the Olympics," Müller said.
Müller credits MSU for being able to build up players and set them on track to succeed at the next level. His motivation is simple, he's here to win.
"Just being the best I can be is my goal," notes Müller. I want to reach my potential, the fullest out, and I think it's a great place to do so with the coaching staff and what we have here."
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