Devils Forward Injured vs. Red Wings, Status Unclear

Amid the New Jersey Devils’ tilt with the Detroit Red Wings on Friday afternoon, forward Tomas Tatar was injured in the first period of the game.

Tatar did not return for the second period, and the Devils were forced to play with 11 forwards. In the third period, New Jersey announced that Tatar would not return to the game with a lower-body injury.

The Devils inked Tatar to a one-year, $1.2 million contract this summer, bringing him back to New Jersey following a one-year hiatus between the Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken.

In 25 games with the Devils this season, the 33—soon 34-year-old forward has scored three goals and eight points.

Tatar hasn’t quite been the offensive player he was in his first stint with the Devils, in which he scored 20 goals and 48 points in the 2022-23 season. However, head coach Sheldon Keefe has mostly deployed him on the fourth line amid injuries to Curtis Lazar and Nathan Bastian. He’s most common linemate of late has been Justin Dowling, while the opposite wing has rotated between Kurtis MacDermid, Nolan Foote, and Shane Bowers.

Keefe did give Tatar a chance with his former linemates in Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer, however. Yet, the magic that line once had didn’t quite rekindle. As a result, Tatar has been downgraded to a depth role in favor of Stefan Noesen, who has thrived in a top-six role.

The Devils play again on Saturday when they host the Washington Capitals. If Tatar is unavailable, Keefe will be forced to play MacDermid again, and Bowers is likely to draw back in as the extra forward. That is, unless the Devils reach down into their American Hockey League affiliate, the Utica Comets, for reinforcements.

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