Nico Hischier Downgraded To Week-To-Week
Devils captain Nico Hischier‘s injury status has been downgraded to week-to-week, head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters Wednesday (including Gabriel Trevino of NJ.com). He has not played since sustaining an upper-body injury on a crosscheck from Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki last Saturday.
Keefe initially called Hischier day-to-day following the injury, which held him out of Monday’s loss to the Flyers. However, he left the team’s road trip to return to New Jersey to visit with team doctors for further evaluation. Evidently, it wasn’t positive news for the Swiss centerman, who will now miss another three games at minimum.
Past the halfway point of the season, Hischier leads the team in goals with 24 and has added 19 assists for 43 points in 51 games. He’s putting up career-highs in shooting percentage (17%) and average ice time (20:21), as well as winning 55.5% of his draws and logging a career-high 55.5 CF% at even strength. It’s been a dominant two-way campaign from the 2023 Selke Trophy finalist, one that could put him back in that conversation, assuming his absence doesn’t stretch out for too much longer.
It’s a difficult blow for the Devils, who are 4-5-3 since New Year’s and are already without starting goaltender Jacob Markström until around the trade deadline due to a sprained MCL. They’ve called to 28-18-6, decidedly third in the Metropolitan Division behind the Capitals and Hurricanes, and are now being chased by the red-hot Blue Jackets who are seven points back with two games in hand.
23-year-old Dawson Mercer shifts to center in Hischier’s absence with Erik Haula also on the shelf. The 2020 first-rounder has 23 points in 52 games, up only slightly from last year’s offensive pace.
Devils Recall Brian Halonen
The Devils are recalling winger Brian Halonen from AHL Utica for the second time this month, per the NHL’s media site (h/t James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now). He’ll take up New Jersey’s vacant spot on the active roster and take a league-minimum-sized bite out of their $2.9MM in current cap space, per PuckPedia.
Halonen’s first recall lasted four days and resulted in his first NHL appearance since last April. He logged a minus-one rating and two shot attempts in 11:35 of ice time against the Flyers on Jan. 18 while filling in for a Devils forward group dealing with an illness.
This time around, his recall comes as insurance for a potentially injured Nico Hischier. The New Jersey captain left Saturday’s game against the Canadiens and did not return and is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. If he can’t play tonight against Philly, Halonen will likely draw in for his second game of the season and his fourth career NHL appearance.
While the 6’0″ winger has just three NHL games under his belt, he’s making a name for himself as a high-end scoring threat at the AHL level. Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan Tech in 2022, the 26-year-old Halonen is on pace for a career-high 30 goals in the minors this season after breaking out for 20 in only 35 appearances in 2023-24. He’s totaled 54 goals and 32 assists for 86 points in 138 games since debuting for the Comets to end the 2021-22 campaign. He’s continued the momentum that convinced New Jersey to sign him after a 21-goal, 44-point senior season at Michigan Tech that made him a Hobey Baker Award finalist.
Halonen remains waiver-exempt this season, so he won’t land on the wire when his latest recall is over. He signed a two-year, two-way extension last May, so he isn’t set to become a free agent until the summer of 2026.
Devils’ Nico Hischier Day-To-Day, Jack Hughes Banged Up
The New Jersey Devils could soon be without their two top forwards. Captain Nico Hischier left the team’s Saturday night matchup against the Montreal Canadiens in the second period, after receiving a slash from Canadiens center Nick Suzuki. No penalty was called on the play, and instead Suzuki skated up the ice and recorded the primary assist on Montreal’s second goal. Now, Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe has shared that Hischier could be out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, per James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now.
Nichols also shared that Jack Hughes is, “less than 100 percent” due to a nagging finger injury. He suffered the injury partway through New Jersey’s Wednesday win over the Boston Bruins, exiting in the first period to get stitches in his finger but returning shortly after the start of the second. Hughes missed the team’s Friday practice to avoid risk of infection or further inflammation, but played in 20 minutes of New Jersey’s overtime win on Saturday. His status will be monitored closely as the Devils gear up for two weekday games against the Philadelphia Flyers.
There’s been no indication of whether or not the Devils top two centers will play on Monday. If they don’t, New Jersey will play their first game without the star duo in over two years. Despite routine injuries, one of the Devils’ star centers has found a way to stand at the top of the lineup – which would make matching absences incredibly tough to fill. Hughes and Hischier currently rank first and third on the Devils in scoring, with 57 and 43 points in 51 games respectively.
The only extra forward on New Jersey’s lineup is presently Kurtis MacDermid, who’s stepped into four games since the start of January. He doesn’t have any scoring through 19 games this season, which could force the Devils to look towards their minor leagues for meaningful fill-ins. Nolan Foote and Brian Halonen lead the AHL’s Utica Comets in scoring, with 25 points in 33 games and 24 points in 34 games respectively. Both players have served as injury fill-ins throughout the season, though neither has managed any NHL scoring in their spot starts. New Jersey could also turn towards Adam Beckman, who has 22 points in 29 AHL games and also managed two assists in 11 NHL games earlier this year. But none of those players bring natural center ability to the NHL lineup, likely meaning that any recall would need coupled with someone like Stefan Noesen, Ondrej Palat, or Dawson Mercer shifting into the middle-lane.
Hughes To Play Saturday Despite Missing Practice, Daws To Be Recalled Next Week
- While Devils center Jack Hughes was held out of practice today, it appears he won’t miss any game action. Team reporter Amanda Stein relays (Twitter link) that Hughes is dealing with a swollen finger so they opted not to take the risk of infection by putting his glove on for a practice. However, he is expected to play on Saturday against Montreal. Hughes leads New Jersey with 56 points in 50 games and is tied for the team lead in assists (38) with Jesper Bratt.
- Still with the Devils, while Isaac Poulter was recalled earlier today to serve as the interim backup to Jake Allen, it doesn’t appear as if he’ll be up for too long. Head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now that the plan is for Nico Daws to play with AHL Utica over the weekend and then be recalled. Daws has been limited to just two appearances in the last four weeks due to injury so the extra game action is needed before he can be considered to suit up in New Jersey when Allen needs a night off.
Devils Recall Isaac Poulter
The Devils recalled goaltender Isaac Poulter from AHL Utica on Friday, per a team release. He’ll serve as Jake Allen‘s backup for the next four to six weeks after the team confirmed starter Jacob Markström sustained an MCL sprain in Wednesday’s game against the Bruins. The Devils had two open roster spots, so they didn’t need to place Markström on injured reserve to recall Poulter.
Poulter has been recalled multiple times over the last two seasons under emergency conditions but has yet to make his NHL debut. The 23-year-old notably gets the call over Nico Daws, who’s racked up 46 games of NHL experience in a depth role between the pipes for New Jersey since the 2021-22 campaign.
That’s because Poulter has significantly outperformed the 24-year-old Daws with Utica this season. Neither goaltender has posted encouraging numbers behind one of the AHL’s worst teams, but Poulter’s 2.90 GAA, 8-7-3 record, and .897 SV% in 19 games clear Daws’ 3.27 GAA, 4-12-1 record, and .892 SV%.
With Markström on the shelf for an extended period, Poulter should make at least one start during this recall. The Devils don’t have any back-to-backs between now and the break in the schedule for the 4 Nations Face-Off. However, if Markström returns during the middle of his recovery window, New Jersey returns to play after the break with a back-to-back (with travel) against the Stars and Predators that should provide a ripe opportunity for Allen to rest and Poulter to debut.
Poulter, a Winnipeg native, joined the Devils organization in 2022 on an AHL contract with Utica as an undrafted free agent out of the Western Hockey League’s Swift Current Broncos. New Jersey signed him to an entry-level contract in February last season to add him as a recall option. He’s played 60 AHL games over the past three seasons, recording a 2.90 GAA, .900 SV%, four shutouts, and a 32-18-8 record. He also has a 2.82 GAA and .911 SV% in 28 appearances for ECHL Adirondack.
Devils’ Jacob Markstrom Out 4-6 Weeks With Knee Sprain
Jan. 24: Markstrom’s absence will likely stand in the four-to-six-week range, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said on Friday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast. That keeps him out of the 4 Nations tournament and potentially up until the trade deadline, but all indications point to him being back between the pipes for the stretch run.
Jan. 23: A frightening situation from last night’s game against the Boston Bruins has worsened for the New Jersey Devils. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported that Devils’ goaltender Jacob Markstrom has been diagnosed with a knee sprain and could be sidelined until after the 4 Nations Face-Off, which concludes mid-February.
Weekes states that the diagnosis is more favorable than anticipated, but it adds insult to injury for a team that has struggled recently. Bruins’ forward Justin Brazeau collided with Markstrom early in the second period of yesterday’s game, causing the Swedish goaltender to awkwardly hit his net. Markstrom exited the game after 23:09 of action, having stopped six out of seven shots.
After managing three straight wins against intra-divisional opponents in mid-December, New Jersey has amassed a 3-6-3 record in their last 12 games falling to third place in the Metropolitan Division. It’s difficult to blame Markstrom for the rough patch given he’s managed a respectable .907 save percentage over the same span. Throughout the regular season, Markstrom has been exactly what the Devils needed with a 21-9-5 record in 36 starts with a .910 SV% and 2.20 goals-against average.
While Jake Allen may not be as skilled as Markstrom, he is certainly a better option than many backup goaltenders. This season, he has started 14 games for New Jersey, recording a 6-8-1 record with a .901 save percentage and a 2.66 goals-against average. New Jersey only has seven games between now and the end of February’s international tournament so he won’t have too much to shoulder. Although it may be challenging to count on Allen to steal wins for the Devils, he remains a capable veteran goalie.
In addition to the impact of Markstrom’s injury on the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference playoff race, it could pose a significant challenge for Team Sweden. The team is already facing the potential unavailability of Linus Ullmark due to his injury status, and Filip Gustavsson has struggled with a .839 save percentage over his last four starts, which has not instilled much confidence. Multiple sources indicate that Philadelphia Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson would be called to fill the role if neither Markstrom nor Ullmark can participate in the Four Nations Face-Off because of injury.
Tom McVie Passes Away
Former NHL coach and longtime Bruins scout Tom McVie has passed away at age 89, the team announced Monday. McVie played 18 seasons with various minor league clubs from 1956 to 1974, then was the head coach of the Capitals, Jets, and Devils in parts of nine seasons from 1975 to 1992.
McVie began his NHL career behind the bench in a difficult situation, taking over Washington’s bench partway through their second season in the league. He was tasked with molding together one of the worst rosters in league history, one that had finished 8-67-5 in their expansion season and recorded only 11 wins in year two. While he understandably didn’t make the playoffs in any of his three seasons in Washington, he did get the team out of complete embarrassment territory and was behind the bench for a 24-win season in 1976-77.
After being let go by the Caps following the 1977-78 season, McVie headed to the World Hockey Association to take over Winnipeg’s bench midway through their final season before the NHL-WHA merger. He guided the Jets to an 11-8-0 record to end the season before upsetting both the Nordiques and Oilers to win the final Avco Cup championship, with a roster that included future NHL All-Stars Morris Lukowich and Kent Nilsson.
McVie stayed with Winnipeg post-merger but was fired 28 games into the 1980-81 campaign after the team compiled a 1-20-7 record. He then headed to the Devils organization, where he’d serve as an AHL coach for many years but got a few cracks at the NHL head coach gig in the 1983-84, 1990-91 and 1991-92 campaigns. Boston picked up McVie as an assistant coach the following season, and after transitioning through a few different roles, they made him a pro scout in 1998. He held that role until retiring following the 2019-20 season.
We at Pro Hockey Rumors send our condolences to McVie’s family, friends, and peers.
Morning Notes: Halonen, White, Smith
The New Jersey Devils have reassigned forward Brian Halonen and defenseman Colton White to the AHL’s Utica Comets. Both players served as extras for the team’s last few games. White didn’t step into the lineup at all during his three-day recall, while Halonen appeared in one game during his four days on the NHL roster.
Both players have served at the top of Utica’s lineup for the majority of the season. Halonen is leading the team in goals (13) and tied for the lead in points (21) through 31 games. White has also been productive, with 11 points in 26 games ranking him third on the blue-line in scoring behind Seamus Casey and Simon Nemec. Despite that, neither player has cracked into a routine NHL role. Halonen has earned the first three NHL games of his career between this season and last, though he’s still searching for his first point. White has 84 career NHL games and 10 points, but hasn’t played in the top league since 2022-23. With this move, the duo will return to fighting for a full-time move to the top flight with strong play in the minors.
Across the Metropolitan Division, the Carolina Hurricanes have once again assigned defenseman Ty Smith to the AHL, per NHL.com’s Walt Ruff. Smith has bounced between rosters all season long. He’s ultimately appeared scored two points in eight NHL games, and 10 points in 13 AHL games on the season. Smith has continued to be productive in the minor leagues, after being 43 points in 63 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season. He’s still a swing away from a routine NHL role, especially behind a loaded Hurricanes defense.
Devils Place Erik Haula On IR, Recall Colton White
1/18: Halonen has been returned to the NHL roster and will step into the lineup on Saturday, per James Nichols. Nichols also shared that the team is also anticipating the return of Noesen, who should return to his premier role in the middle-six.
1/17: The New Jersey Devils have moved centerman Erik Haula to injured reserve retroactive to January 4th, when Haula suffered an ankle sprain in a loss to the San Jose Sharks. He has missed five games since then. In a corresponding move, New Jersey has also recalled defenseman Colton White from the AHL’s Utica Comets. White’s recall gives New Jersey a seventh defenseman ahead of their pair of home games this weekend.
Haula is joined on the absentee list by fellow middle-six forward Stefan Noesen – who has missed the Devils’ last two games with illness. The duo’s absence has weighed heavily on a Devils team whose lack of depth is quickly becoming apparent. Noesen has far-and-away been the more productive of the pair, so far posting 28 points in 45 games this season. He’s only nine points shy of passing the career-high 37 points he scored last season – a mark he should smash, even despite missing time recently.
Haula only has 11 points on the year to match, a far step down from his point totals over the last three seasons. He has managed 44, 41, and 35 points in the last three seasons respectively – the first coming with Boston and the latter two in New Jersey. Haula’s ability to produce from down the depth chart has been a vital piece to keeping the Devils’ offense cohesive. New Jersey hasn’t found a replacement for that production with Haula lacking, and aren’t likely to find further help in his absence.
Finally, depth winger Brian Halonen has been reassigned to the Utica Comets in a paper transaction, per James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now. Halonen has posted a serviceable 13 goals and 21 points in 31 AHL games this season, but is still searching for his first NHL point after two scoreless games last season.
Devils Considering Extending Kovacevic; Yegorov Transfers To Boston University
The Devils are discussing the idea of potentially trying to re-sign defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic, reports Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli (video link). Acquired for a fourth-round pick from Montreal in the summer to add defensive depth, the 27-year-old is logging nearly 20 minutes a game for New Jersey and has become an important piece of their back end. His presence helped push Simon Nemec to the minors, something the youngster recently voiced some frustration about; keeping Kovacevic could make it a bit harder for Nemec to get back to the NHL. Signed to a cap hit below the league minimum this season, Kovacevic could push for $3MM or more on the open market if his second half play is similar to how things went in the first few months.
- Still with the Devils, prospect Mikhail Yegorov has found a new place to play. USHL Omaha announced that the goaltender has transferred to play at Boston University, effective immediately, a rare midseason enrolment. The 18-year-old was a second-round pick by New Jersey last June, going 49th overall. Yegorov improved his save percentage with the Lancers by 20 points this year, going from .892 to .912 but won just three of his 19 outings. He’ll now get his feet wet at the college level and becomes the 14th NHL-drafted player on the Terriers.