The New Jersey Devils are set to face off against the St. Louis Blues at Prudential Center on Wednesday, November 26, for a Thanksgiving Eve clash. However, the Devils will be without forward Evgenii Dadonov, who is sidelined with an injury sustained during Monday's 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.
Head Coach Sheldon Keefe announced that Dadonov would be out for "a period of time". The team is awaiting further test results to determine the exact timeline for his return. The nature of the injury remains undisclosed. This is Dadonov's second significant absence this season, as he previously missed 17 games due to a hand fracture suffered in the season opener. In his absence earlier in the season, the Devils posted a 13-3-1 record.
Juho Lammikko is expected to slot into the lineup in Dadonov's place on the third line, alongside Cody Glass and Connor Brown. Lammikko has yet to record a point in 10 games this season. Cody Glass recently returned to the lineup after missing four games.
The Devils are currently in second place in the Metropolitan Division with a 14-7-1 record. They are in the midst of a busy stretch of seven games in 11 days. The Devils have been strong at home, boasting an 8-0-1 record at Prudential Center this season.
The St. Louis Blues are concluding a five-game East Coast road trip. They are coming off a 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Monday. The Blues have struggled offensively this season, ranking 27th in the NHL with 2.65 goals per game. Defensively, they have allowed 3.61 goals per game, placing them 29th in the league.
Nico Hischier has been a key player for the Devils, with four goals in his past four games and five points in his last two. Jesper Bratt is expected to take on a more active offensive role in the absence of Jack Hughes. Bratt has 469 career assists, tying Aaron Broten for eighth place in franchise history. Timo Meier has also been contributing, with goals in each of his last two games.
For the Blues, Justin Faulk has been playing well, with three points in his last three games.
The Devils have been strong when scoring first, with an 11-1-1 record in those games. Timo Meier has five game-opening goals this season, tied for the NHL lead.
Injuries continue to be a concern for the Devils, as they have lost a combined 117 man-games, making them the fourth-most injured team in the NHL. Jack Hughes, Brett Pesce, Zack MacEwen, and Johnathan Kovacevic are among the other injured Devils.
