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Connor Clifton Receives Two-Game Suspension

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12:30 PM: The verdict is in for Clifton and the Department of Player Safety announced (video link) that Clifton has received a two-game suspension.  He’ll be eligible to return on Friday in the back half of a home-and-home set against Philadelphia.  From the video:

Clifton finishes a high, hard check that cuts in front of Hischier’s core making his head the main point of contact on a hit when head contact was avoidable…  If Clifton wants to deliver this hit, Clifton must stay low and choose an angle that hits through Hischier’s shoulder and core, rather than one that makes the head the main point of contact.

9:20 AM: Following a hit that saw him ejected from last night’s game in New Jersey, the league announced that defenseman Connor Clifton will have a disciplinary hearing today.

With just over four minutes remaining in the first period, Clifton hit Devils center Nico Hischier up high near the boards and, after video review, was assessed a match penalty for an illegal check to the head.  That carries an automatic league review and upon that review, they’ve determined to proceed with a hearing.

Hischier missed the rest of the period, came back for the second, but did not return.  Following the game, head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters including Ryan Novozinsky of the Newark Star-Ledger that they decided to hold out the captain for precautionary reasons and will re-evaluate him today.

The Sabres are back in action on Sunday against Colorado so any suspension, if one is coming, will need to be announced by then.  Clifton has not been suspended previously in his NHL career.

Erik Haula, Nico Hischier Able To Play Against Montreal

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  • As relayed by Devils team reporter Sam Kasan, forwards Erik Haula and Nico Hischier  “will be able to play” in tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens, according to head coach Lindy Ruff. Hischier, the Devils’ captain, missed the later stages of the Devils’ last game with an upper-body injury, while Haula hasn’t appeared in the lineup since October 16th. With Tomáš Nosek out with an injury, these two players returning to health is an important development in helping the Devils maintain their impressive strength at the center position.

Devils Place Nosek On Injured Reserve, Recall Cal Foote

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The New Jersey Devils have placed forward Tomas Nosek on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. Nosek has been out of action since October 13th and has only appeared in two games on the year, with a stat line limited to one shot and one hit. The Devils have also recalled defenseman Callan Foote.

Nosek signed a one-year, $1.0MM contract with New Jersey this summer. The Devils become the fourth NHL team that the 31-year-old Nosek has played for throughout his nine-year NHL career. He’s tallied an even 400 career games through those nine years, recording 101 points and 146 penalty minutes. Nosek has never been much of a scorer, with his career-high sitting at a mere 18 points – a mark he’s hit twice, including in 66 games with the Boston Bruins last season. But despite the low scoring, Nosek has become a consistent feature of NHL lineups, not playing an AHL game since the 2016-17 season. In fact, his last assignment to the AHL came in April of 2017, only two months before he would be selected in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft and join the Vegas Golden Knights. It’s been a fruitful career for the undrafted Nosek, who was signed to an entry-level contract after the 2013-14 season, after tallying 44 points in 52 games for Pardubice of the Czechia Extraliga.

Cal Foote receives a call-up in the wake of Nosek’s IR assignment, giving him a chance to make his debut with the Devils. Foote started the season with the Utica Comets of the AHL, where he’s recorded two points in three games. Foote joined New Jersey this summer, signing a one-year, $850K contract with what’s become his third NHL club. He previously appeared with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Nashville Predators, serving as a focal piece of the Tanner Jeannot trade. Foote has played in 141 career NHL games, recording 19 points.

Devils Notes: Hischier, Haula, Recalls

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New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier did not practice today after leaving Friday’s overtime win over the Islanders with a reported shoulder injury, NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky notes. Head coach Lindy Ruff told Novozinsky that Hischier is “being evaluated right now” and will give another update on his status when the team reconvenes on Monday.

Hischier has had a slow start to 2023-24, at least on the scoresheet. He and Dawson Mercer are the only Devils forwards who have played in all four games this season and are yet to record a point. His 17:34 average ice time thus far is also the lowest since his rookie season, a further sign of the stranglehold Jack Hughes is taking as the team’s bonafide number-one center. He hasn’t taken a step back defensively, however, still showcasing the form that earned him a Selke Trophy nomination last season. He has a Corsi share of 57.1% at even strength, which ranks fourth among Devils forwards to play in all four contests.

Other Devils updates coming this weekend:

  • Depth center Erik Haula is continuing his recovery from the upper-body injury that sidelined him against the Islanders on Friday. Devils team reporter Amanda Stein said today that Haula skated on his own prior to practice, and the team is “hopeful” he’ll be available for Monday’s game against the Canadiens, limiting him to just one game missed. Haula’s line with Ondrej Palat and Alexander Holtz has provided solid secondary scoring so far, and Haula has two goals and one helper through three appearances. The 32-year-old signed a three-year, $9.45MM extension with the Devils to avoid free agency this summer.
  • While Hischier’s and Haula’s statuses are up in the air, don’t expect any recalls from AHL Utica until the last minute. Ruff told reporters today that their minor-league affiliate is dealing with some injuries of their own and that a recall would only be necessary on Monday if both Hischier and Haula are unavailable against Montreal. With 22-year-old Nolan Foote still on season-opening injured reserve, look for Shane Bowers or Tyce Thompson to get an NHL nod if they’re healthy.

Erik Haula, Tomas Nosek To Miss At Least One Game

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The absence of Haula and Nosek leaves a dent in New Jersey’s bottom six that’s expected to be filled by Curtis Lazar and Nathan Bastian. Bastian has been with the Devils for five of his six NHL seasons, briefly joining the Seattle Kraken for 12 games of the 2021-22 season before the Devils claimed him off waivers partway through the year. Lazar is a much more recent addition, joining the Devils via trade ahead of the 2022-23 trade deadline. He’s only played six games with the Devils between last season and this season and has yet to record a point. New Jersey could also turn towards summer signee Chris Tierney to fill an empty role. Tierney has yet to make his debut with the Devils.

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Devils Place Keith Kinkaid On Waivers

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Oct. 18: Kinkaid has cleared waivers, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports. Per Elite Prospects’ roster log, Kinkaid will be loaned outside of the organization to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, where he’s expected to assume a starting role.

Oct. 17: The New Jersey Devils placed netminder Keith Kinkaid on waivers today, per Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic.

Kinkaid, 34, was signed by the Devils this offseason to fill a depth role but sustained an upper-body injury during camp that prevented him from hitting waivers before the season started. Now healthy, the Devils can involve him in a transaction and attempt to send him to the AHL’s Utica Comets.

The Devils needed a second netminder for Utica when 22-year-old Nico Daws had to undergo hip surgery this summer, which will likely keep him out of commission until mid-December. For the time being, Utica will go with a veteran tandem of Kinkaid and former Maple Leaf Erik Källgren in the crease.

Kinkaid’s days of being an everyday NHLer are certainly behind him, but Devils fans will remember his play as a fill-in for the oft-injured Cory Schneider in the late 2010s. Kinkaid’s best campaign came during the 2017-18 season, starting a career-high 38 games and posting a 26-10-3 record and .913 save percentage to help lead the Devils to their first playoff berth since losing to the Kings in the 2012 Stanley Cup Final.

Since then, however, he’s primarily served as a third-string option for organizations such as the Canadiens, Rangers, Bruins and Avalanche. He hasn’t made double-digit NHL appearances in a single season since his last year with the Devils in 2018-19. In one contest with the Bruins and one with the Avalanche in 2022-23, Kinkaid recorded a lone win and a .950 save percentage in 88 minutes of play, stopping 38 of 40 shots faced.

Akira Schmid Yet To Discuss Contract Extension

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Metropolitan Notes: Couturier, Lindgren Brothers, Nosek, Mayfield

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Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier has been off to a strong start since returning from back injuries that sidelined him for nearly two years, notching an assist and a team-high +3 rating in two contests while averaging over 20 minutes per game. However, he’s hit a hiccup in his re-acclimation to everyday play. He is “banged up” and missed practice today, although head coach John Tortorella did confirm nothing is wrong with his back.

Couturier is locking down the team’s first line with Joel Farabee on his left flank, and youngsters Bobby Brink and Tyson Foerster are rotating in on his right. The Flyers likely won’t be sniffing playoff contention this season, but having the 30-year-old Couturier back in action is a huge boost development-wise for a team looking to usher in, quite literally, a new era of orange this season.

Other injury considerations around the Metro this morning:

  • Both of the Lindgren brothers are dealing with injuries, starting with New York Rangers defender Ryan Lindgren. He was a late scratch for their loss to Columbus on Saturday, and head coach Peter Laviolette said he’ll once again be a game-time decision for tonight’s contest against the Coyotes. The 25-year-old logged 19:50 in their season-opening win against Buffalo last week.
  • Washington Capitals backup Charlie Lindgren is also questionable, leaving practice this morning. Head coach Spencer Carbery could not confirm Lindgren’s status for tonight’s game against Calgary after he allowed four goals in the team’s season opener against Pittsburgh last Friday. He played in relief of starter Darcy Kuemper, who returns to the team tonight after welcoming a son last week.
  • New Jersey Devils forward Tomas Nosek is officially out of the lineup tonight after being absent from practice yesterday. He’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury, per Devils reporter Amanda Stein, and Curtis Lazar is expected to return to the lineup tonight against Florida. Nosek, who’s logged 12:10 per game in two contests, is still looking for his first point as a Devil.
  • New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield is day-to-day after blocking a shot late in Saturday’s win against Buffalo, says head coach Lane Lambert. Mayfield did not practice today due to swelling in his leg, and his status for Tuesday’s game against the Coyotes is uncertain. He played 16:47 in that contest, and Samuel Bolduc will make his season debut on the third pairing should Mayfield be unavailable.

Tomáš Nosek Doubtful For Monday's Game With Lower-Body Injury

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  • New Jersey Devils forward Tomáš Nosek missed practice today with a lower-body injury and is considered doubtful for Monday’s game against Florida, Devils lead reporter Amanda Stein relays. Nosek has dressed in the Devils’ first two games of the season as a winger after playing center for the Boston Bruins and Vegas Golden Knights for much of the last four seasons, averaging 12:10 per game. The team’s summer free-agent pickup has yet to record a point but has controlled play well at even strength, posting a Corsi share of 65.5% despite heavy defensive zone usage. Either Curtis Lazar or Chris Tierney will draw into the lineup if Nosek can’t go.

Erik Haula Good To Go For Season Opener

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Thatcher Demko was mysteriously pulled from the team’s season opener after just over 48 minutes of play. After the game, Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet shared that Demko was battling the flu before the game and tried to play through it but was pulled after getting sick. Despite the bug, Demko recorded 21 saves on 22 shots – a big piece of the staggering 8-1 win Vancouver would go on to notch. Recent trade acquisition Casey DeSmith relieved Demko and saved all five shots that he faced.

Vancouver hasn’t shared that they’re expecting Demko to miss any more time with this flu. They visit the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, October 14 to kick off a five-game road trip. The gap between games will likely be plenty for Demko, although his status will be one to monitor over the coming days. While DeSmith was suitable in relief, the Canucks will certainly still want as much of Demko as they can get this season. The 27-year-old goalie played in 64 games during the 2021-22 season, recording a .915 save percentage, but was held to only 32 games and a .901 save percentage last year as he battled with a groin injury.

Other notes from around the league:

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