Devils Week Ahead: Schedule & Storylines — Injury Updates, Lombardi’s NHL Adjustment & More

The New Jersey Devils have certainly made a statement at the start of the 2026-27 season. First, they defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in their home opener, with a thrilling 3-2 overtime win. Then, on Saturday, they suffered a heartbreaking 6-0 loss to the New York Islanders.

So far, the Devils have shown flashes of offensive brilliance, generating an impressive number of scoring opportunities. Though their power play still needs a bit of work, the team is looking to build momentum early on.

This week, the Devils have just two games slated, kicking off a three-game homestand on Tuesday against the Utah Mammoth. Here are a few storylines to follow for the week of Oct. 4 — Oct. 11, 2026.

Injury Updates

Unfortunately, the Devils haven’t been able to escape bad luck when it comes to injuries. They began the season without Nick Bjugstad, who is on injured reserve (IR) after having surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle. His current timeline to rejoin the lineup is four to six months, placing his return somewhere during the second half of 2026-27.

Another familiar face missing is Johnathan Kovacevic, who underwent a minor procedure during the offseason on his right knee. His participation at training camp was limited, and the veteran defenseman did not appear in any preseason games. The good news is that he was on the ice ahead of practice on Friday, so hopefully he’ll be back in action soon.

The Devils’ blue line took another hit, with Seamus Casey missing eight to ten weeks after undergoing knee surgery. The 22-year-old defenseman looked NHL-ready throughout training camp before being hurt in the penultimate preseason game against the New York Rangers. 

Sheldon Keefe confirms that Connor Brown tweaked something in practice on Monday and is being evaluated. He will miss the first two games of the season, Keefe says they don’t expect it to be anything too significant. #NJDevils

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) September 30, 2026

Connor Brown is day-to-day with a lower-body injury after being hurt at practice earlier this week. Head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed that the issue doesn’t seem to be extensive. He has only missed two games so far and should return to the lineup sometime this week.

Lombardi’s NHL Adjustment

Amadeus Lombardi remains a player to watch after a strong preseason showing that included one goal, ten shot attempts, and three high-danger scoring chances in three games. He made his NHL debut against the Flyers, recording 8:03 of ice time.

He’s been skating with Cody Glass and Stefan Noesen, but his impact was limited on Saturday night against the Islanders. Lombardi was sent to the box for hooking six minutes into the opening period, then again in the middle of the first for tripping. In his absence, Arseny Gritsyuk skated on the fourth line.

With only two games under his belt, Lombardi needs time to adjust and find his footing in the NHL. But regardless, the Devils are taking a massive gamble on him, and the sentiment is not lost on the young forward. “These guys are willing to give me an opportunity. I’m going to make sure they look really good for betting on me,” said Lombardi in a recent interview.

He already proved himself at training camp, and now it’s time to put together a strong rookie campaign with the Devils. If not, Jesper Boqvist will be prepared to take his spot on the left wing.

Goaltender Rotation in Question

Prior to the start of the season, general manager (GM) Sunny Mehta expressed confidence in the Devils’ goaltending situation, which included Jake Allen, Nico Daws, and David Rittich. However, the organization assigned Rittich to the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL) after he cleared waivers, then claimed Remi Poirier from the Dallas Stars.

The assumption was that Allen would be the primary starter, with Daws earning another look at the NHL level. Daws rounded out the preseason with an .868 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.91 goals-against average (GAA) in two games. Now, he’s struggling to start 2026-27.

So far, he’s recorded minus-2.4 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck. Daws particularly struggled with high-danger shots on goal, allowing five goals in 12 high-danger scenarios against the Islanders. After the game, Daws stated, “I don’t think anyone’s going to be overly happy with the way that they played individually…There’s goals out there that I want back, and we have to learn from it and move on.”

The verdict is still out on whether or not Daws is ready for a larger role, which poses a few questions. Will Allen handle the majority of the workload, and will Poirier get the chance to make his NHL debut? Only time will tell if the Devils’ goaltending situation will experience any changes as the season wears on. 

Devils Schedule Oct. 4 — Oct. 11