The Devils’ blue line is getting shuffled again, and this time it’s Jonathan Kovacevic heading to injured reserve with an ankle injury.
Kovacevic was hurt in Tuesday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets, when a hit from Jets defenseman Tyrel Bauer sent him down awkwardly on his left leg. New Jersey responded by recalling rookie defenseman Anton Silayev.
For Kovacevic, it’s another setback in a season that has already started in stop-and-go fashion. He didn’t make his debut until October 13 after offseason knee surgery, and since then he’s put up two points, nine penalty minutes and 13 hits in 13 games while averaging 14:40 of ice time.
Silayev now gets his first NHL look after spending the last three seasons in Russia’s KHL and opening his first year in North American pro hockey. The former top-10 pick has had a modest start with four points and a plus-eight in 12 AHL games, but his reputation has never been built around scoring. The appeal is his ability to move the puck and drive play at 6-foot-7, a package that makes him one of the more unusual additions New Jersey could throw into the mix.
To make the move work under the cap, the Devils also placed Seamus Casey on long-term injured reserve. Casey had knee surgery after a knee-on-knee collision in a preseason game against the New York Rangers, and he has already been out long enough to satisfy the LTIR minimum.
Even so, he may still be a few weeks from being ready to return. That setup should give New Jersey enough room to keep Silayev on the NHL roster for the length of Kovacevic’s absence.
Still, a debut isn’t automatic. The Devils are also carrying Vladislav Kolyachonok, who is on his off-side next to Brenden Dillon, and Silayev is a left-shot as well. If New Jersey wants to get him into the lineup, it may need to adjust its defensive pairings to make the fit work.
In Other News...
Devils Look Like A Team Ready For Another Big Swing
The Devils recent move for goaltender Connor Hellebuyck only sharpened the sense that this front office is not interested in waiting around for the perfect moment. With a 14-6 record and a place among the Easts contenders, New Jersey has already shown it can win now, and general manager Sunny Mehta has made it clear the club is open to bold trades if they can push the roster even further.
Washington, meanwhile, has helped frame the bigger picture by keeping the season series even after each side has taken a game. The Capitals are in the playoff mix at 10-7 and have a stockpile of prospects and young players that could become trade currency later on, which only adds to the sense that these two teams may not be done crossing paths as the market develops. [Read more 🡒]
Stars Just Got A Painful Reminder About Dawson Mercer
Dawson Mercer is wasting no time making the Devils think about what they gave up. Through his first 10 games with Winnipeg, the former New Jersey forward has chipped in five goals and three assists while settling into a second-line role and a spot on the power play, the kind of usage that can quickly change the tone of a trade. He has also become part of the Jets recent winning streak, giving them a useful jolt at a time when they needed one.
For Winnipeg, the early return has been exactly what it hoped for when it brought him in. Head coach Scott Arniel has pointed to Mercers growing confidence and comfort with the group, and that matters because the Jets are not just getting production, they are getting it from a player who looks increasingly at home in his new setting. For New Jersey, it is the sort of immediate impact that makes a deal linger a little longer in the memory. [Read more 🡒]
Connor McDavids Start Gives Devils Fans A Wild New Debate
Connor McDavids opening stretch this season has already pushed the conversation into rare territory, and Devils fans have been pulled into it along with everyone else watching the NHL. With 49 points in 20 games, the Oilers star has helped fuel Edmontons strong start, while the broader discussion around his pace has only grown louder as the season has unfolded.
Mattias Ekholm pointed to last springs early playoff exit and McDavids improved health and rest as possible reasons the center looks so sharp right now. Around the league, some players are even floating the idea that McDavid could make a run at 200 points, a mark that has only ever been reached by Wayne Gretzky, which is the kind of chase that turns a hot start into a full-blown leaguewide debate. [Read more 🡒]