Sad news: The best player for the New Jersey Devils would be suspended for the following reasons:.

Sad news: The best player for the New Jersey Devils would be suspended for the following reasons:.

The New Jersey Devils, beset by yet another injury wave, now resemble the Utica Comets much more.

A suspected arm injury has kept superstar Jack Hughes out of action for weeks. Coach Lindy Ruff says that fellow forwards Ondrej Palat, Tomas Nosek, and Timo Meier are the “closest” to returning, so they probably won’t play in the team’s next three road games.

Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler, their former first-team defensemen, are nursing broken feet and torn pectorals, respectively.

READ MORE

The 2023–24 season is halfway over for the New Jersey Devils. With a record of 22-16-3 (47 points), the team is ranked sixth in the Metropolitan Division. Following the team’s first 41 games, Kristy Flannery of The Hockey News is sharing 41 observations—mostly in chronological order—from her notebook.

Irrational fears of stepping on the Devils’ logo in the locker room, getting hit by a puck, and getting smacked by a rogue ping-pong ball are returning as the NHL season approaches.

2. Fans are in for a treat if Jesper Bratt’s preseason performance is any indication of what to expect this season.

3. I doubt anyone’s bingo card included Jonas Siegenthaler scoring three points in the season opener.

4. Did the Devils score four goals during a power play in one game? in the current financial climate? After this one, the Islanders won’t be pleased.

5. After Buffalo Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton hit Nico Hischier, Ondrej Palat jumped to his defense without hesitation. For the supporters, it was well worth it even though Palat missed 17 minutes.

6. “Jack Hughes goes down, and he is hurt.” Oh no.

7. Jack Hughes (shoulder), Colin Miller (lower body), Nico Hischier (upper body), and Erik Haula (undisclosed). 30 days of hardship for New Jersey.

8. Dawson Mercer and Michael McLeod have emerged as two of the team’s most crucial forwards since Hughes and Hischier were sidelined.

9. Alexander Holtz’s performance in tandem with the team’s role players is intriguing. The young Swede has been elevated to a higher level by them.

10. Let me introduce Michael McLeod to those who don’t think a player’s confidence affects their performance.

11. I’m glad I saw John Marino strolling through the parking garage and slowed down to two miles per hour. It was only at the very last moment that I noticed that Haula and Palat had made their way toward their cars. I don’t need to run over the team’s more seasoned players.

12. The Devils lost Nosek to a hit by Jacob Trouba in a game that was Jack Hughes’ comeback. This season, poor Nosek has only made six appearances.

13. One more consecutive set? Already? Who creates the NHL schedule?

14. “And now Clifton and Brendan Smith are coming together, and Smith immediately takes Clifton down to the ice.” Nov. 25, 2023: At Prudential Center, Smith is given a standing ovation by the crowd.

15. Kristy, burnout is real. Take the day off.

16. The Devils have an 11-9-1 record after two months. My husband is probably correct. The team will sneak into the playoffs in a wild card spot, and their record will be worse than it was the previous year.

17. It is simple to point fingers at a player like Nate Bastian who has struggled offensively this season from an outsider’s viewpoint. Even so, nobody has any idea what goes through a player’s mind when they close the door: “It would probably still hurt every day if I were not doing what I was doing.”

18. Simon Nemec is at last receiving his chance. See what the 19-year-old is capable of.

19. That was not too long to complete. Nemec, welcome to the NHL.

Mackenzie (20) When Blackwood and the San Jose Sharks returned to Prudential Center, he appeared to be at peace. Well done, after all the injuries he’s had over the last few seasons.

21. The team’s game plan is outlined in New Jersey’s 2-1 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins on December 13.

22. There’s no way around expectations except disappointment.

23. The Devils should be fine if Luke Hughes’s coast-to-coast goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets is any indication of his offensive potential.

24. The NHL is a results-driven league, and sadly, Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid have not achieved the required outcomes. Is it all their fault? Not at all, but something needs to give.

25. Nemec has lessened the impact of Dougie Hamilton’s departure. In addition to his ability to lead the second power play unit, he possesses surprising strength in the defensive zone.

26. Through the first half of the season, McLeod has been the team’s unsung hero without a doubt. Throughout all of the injuries, he has been the one player who has consistently stepped up.

27. Given the description of the goaltending market, general manager Tom Fitzgerald might be better served by pursuing a defenseman who stays at home.