Hischier was on the ice for the morning skate but will sit out for the season opener. Hischier said he's “not where I want to be," so monitor his status heading into Saturday's home opener.
Calgary has announced that their prized starter is out with an illness and will not practice Thursday morning. Markstrom is coming off a massive 2021-22 season which saw him finish second in Vezina voting behind only Igor Shesterkin. The 32-year-old netminder finished fourth in wins (37), third in save percentage (.922), and third in GAA (2.22) across the entire NHL. The Flames will hope to have their all-start goaltender back as soon as possible with Dan Vladar manning the crease in the meantime.
Jake Allen will get the daunting task of taking on the high-scoring Maple Leafs Wednesday night. Allen has struggled in his two seasons since signing in Montreal as he has a 3.01 GAA and .906 SV% across 62 starts while only winning 20 games. He will look to get the Canadiens out on the right foot as they try to improve on their league-worst record from 2021-22.
The Devils' captain remains questionable for their opening game Thursday in Philadelphia as he returned to practice Tuesday for the first time since September 26th, 2022. Hischier enjoyed his most successful season in 2021-22 finishing with 21 goals and 60 points in 70 games placing him second on the Devils in scoring. The 23-year-old should find himself a lock in New Jersey's top-six and atop their first powerplay unit.
Kovacevic was a third-round pick in 2017 and appeared in four NHL games with the Jets last season. He spent most of the season in Manitoba (AHL), where he had 11 goals and 19 assists (30 points) in 62 games.
Hischier suffered the injury on Thursday and will be re-evaluated a few days before the Devils' season starts. This would be a huge loss for the Devils to open the season, and it would thrust either Erik Haula or Dawson Mercer into an elevated role.
During his two seasons in Montreal, Allen has gone 20-23-9 with a 3.01 GAA and .906 SV% in 64 games (62 starts). With Carey Price's uncertain future, Allen gets a two-year deal to help stabilize the Canadiens' crease during their rebuild.
The Devils selected Nemec with the No.2 overall pick in this summer's NHL Draft. The 18-year-old Slovakian defenseman had 26 points (1G / 25A) in 39 games with Nitra MHC (Slovak Extraliga) last season. He also represented Slovakia at the 2022 World Juniors (one assist in two games) and the 2022 Olympics (one assist in seven games).
White has had a last of the NHL in each of the last four seasons, totalling four assists across 38 games (all with the Devils). The 25-year-old defenseman will likely start 2022-23 in San Diego (AHL).
Palat spent the first 10 years of his career with the Tampa Bay Lightning after being a seventh-round pick in 2011. Palat is a good complimentary top-6 winger that can play with either Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier in New Jersey. Over the last three seasons, he's averaged 20 goals and 35 assists (55 points) per 82 games.
Desimone has been in the AHL since 2017 and has never sniffed the NHL. The 27-year-old had 25 points (4G / 21A) in 68 games with Stockton (AHL) a season ago.
Haula is headed into the second year of a two-year deal that carries a $2.375M cap hit. With Zacha in need of a new contract as an RFA, Haula provides some cost certainty for the Devils ahead of the free agency window opening. Haula had 18 goals and 26 assists (44 points) in 78 games with the Bruins in 2022.
