Zack MacEwen is set to rejoin the New Jersey Devils lineup as they face off against the New York Islanders at the Prudential Center tonight. The announcement was made this afternoon, confirming MacEwen's activation off Injured Reserve.

MacEwen, 29, returns after being sidelined due to an upper-body injury sustained in his debut game with the Devils against the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 11. In that game, he played just over seven minutes, recording two shots on goal.

Prior to the injury, MacEwen was acquired by New Jersey from the Ottawa Senators on October 4, in exchange for forward Kurtis MacDermid. He was briefly waived and reassigned to Utica, but was recalled to the NHL roster before playing any minor league games.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed that MacEwen will slot into the fourth line, alongside Luke Glendening and Paul Cotter. Juho Lammikko will come out of the lineup, with Glendening shifting back to center and MacEwen taking the right-wing position. In a corresponding move, Brian Halonen has been reassigned to the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League.

MacEwen's return could provide a boost to the Devils' bottom-six forward group, especially with Evgenii Dadonov and Connor Brown also currently sidelined with injuries. While not necessarily a high-scoring forward, MacEwen brings physicality and experience to the lineup. In his NHL career, spanning 238 games, he has accumulated 17 goals, 34 points, and 323 penalty minutes.

Notably, in his brief appearance against Tampa Bay, MacEwen recorded a 99.20 MPH shot, which at the time was the hardest shot recorded in the NHL this season. As of today, that shot ranks fifth overall in the league.

MacEwen is currently on a three-year, $2.325 million deal that he originally signed with the Ottawa Senators. He will be a pending free agent in the upcoming offseason.

Following tonight's game against the Islanders, the Devils will embark on a five-game road trip, starting with a game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday.