Devils’ Bjugstad & Kovacevic Injury Updates

The New Jersey Devils began on-ice training sessions today (Sept. 17), but a few faces were missing from practice this morning. The club announced that forward Nick Bjugstad will miss camp, while defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic will be a limited participant while recovering from surgery.

Bjugstad underwent a procedure last week to repair a torn left pectoral muscle. The injury occurred during offseason training earlier this month, and the surgery was successful. At the moment, his timeline for recovery is between four and six months.

He appeared in 26 games for the Devils last season after being acquired from the St. Louis Blues in February. Within that time frame, he recorded two assists, 23 shots, and 10:00 of ice time per game. He primarily played on the fourth line and is entering the final year of his $3.5 million contract.

Kovacevic had a minor operation on his right knee in the offseason, after missing the first half of 2025-26 with a torn ACL. He was not present at practice today, but will be available later as his rehab progresses.

Last season, he played just 34 games, tallying eight assists and averaging 17:52 of ice time per game. Once he’s fully recovered, Kovacevic is expected to be an important veteran presence for the Devils’ blue line. He has four years remaining in the extension he signed last March, which carries a $4 million cap hit.

With Bjugstad set to miss the start of the season, the hunt is on for a fourth-line replacement. An early candidate to keep an eye on is Amadeus Lombardi, whom the Devils acquired from the Detroit Red Wings ahead of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Another option would be to make Jesper Boqvist their fourth-line center and shift lines accordingly.

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