Friday: Edwards has been sent back to Utica, per a team announcement. He didn’t see any game action with New Jersey while on recall.
Monday: The Devils announced they’ve recalled defenseman Ethan Edwards from AHL Utica. New Jersey placed center Cody Glass on injured reserve, retroactive to Nov. 12, in the corresponding move.
After an impressive training camp, the 23-year-old Edwards lands his first recall in his first professional season. The 5’10” lefty was a fourth-round pick in 2020 from the Spruce Grove Saints of the junior ’A’ AJHL before jumping south of the border, first with USHL Sioux City before embarking on a four-year run at the University of Michigan. Edwards was a consistent force on the Wolverines’ blue line, checking in as a top-four puck-mover who played more physically than one would expect from his slight frame. He was named to the Big 10’s Second All-Star Team following his senior season, in which he notched a career-best 5-16–21 scoring line in 36 games, before signing his entry-level deal with Jersey last March.
Although the two-year contract didn’t take effect until this season, he still finished out the 2024-25 season with Utica on a tryout basis. In his first 10 professional games, Edwards notched three assists and a +3 rating. He entered this year as the No. 9 prospect in the system, according to Elite Prospects, and made a legitimate push for a roster spot with two points and four scoring chances in four preseason games. He ended up being a very late cut, though, and started the year in Utica as expected.
Through 13 games in the AHL, Edwards hasn’t exploded offensively but is still chugging along with one goal, four assists, and a -1 rating. The Devils need an additional offensive-minded option with Dougie Hamilton still sidelined with an undisclosed injury, though, and Edwards fits that bill. With Hamilton, Johnathan Kovacevic, and Brett Pesce all out, their top-four group is still strong thanks to a breakout Simon Nemec, but they’re riding a patchwork third-pairing of fringe NHLers Dennis Cholowski and Colton White. As White is pointless with a -1 rating through four games and is averaging under 12 minutes per night, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get a game or two in the press box for Edwards to make his NHL debut, at least until Hamilton’s able to return (which should be soon).
The Devils previously announced Glass was week-to-week with an upper-body injury, so he’ll be out significantly longer than when he’s first eligible to come off IR on Wednesday. The 26-year-old pivot had only played four games since missing seven with another upper-body issue before exiting the lineup again last week. Through 10 appearances this season, he’s got three goals on 19 shots while averaging 11:59 of ice time per game.