New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier is considered week-to-week with an injury, coach Sheldon Keefe said Wednesday, just hours before the team faced the Philadelphia Flyers.
Hischier was ruled out against the Flyers and is expected to miss Sunday’s game in Buffalo, as well as a potential absence against Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
“(It is) something (trainers will) evaluate again next week and then take it from there, but he won’t be available this week, for sure,” Keefe said after the morning skate.
The 26-year-old center has been sidelined since taking a cross-check to the midsection from Montreal’s Nick Suzuki on Saturday. He already missed New Jersey’s 4-2 loss to Philadelphia on Monday.
Hischier leads the Devils in goals with 24 in 51 games and ranks third on the team with 43 points. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft, he has recorded 404 points in 520 career regular-season and playoff games.
New Jersey is already dealing with the absence of top goaltender Jacob Markstrom, who is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a lower-body injury. Despite these setbacks, Hischier, Markstrom, and Keefe have helped the Devils to a 28-18-6 record, keeping them in a playoff position after missing the postseason last year.
