Zack MacEwen stands out on the New Jersey Devils' crowded injury list for his relentless setbacks. His journey this season underscores how desperately he needs a stretch of good fortune.
MacEwen has played only three games with the Devils this season.
He started as a healthy scratch for the opening game. In his Devils debut on October 11, he was injured during the game and subsequently missed nearly a month on Injured Reserve.
MacEwen returned to the lineup on Monday, November 10. However, during the game on Wednesday, November 12, he was hit just over 12 minutes into the first period, left the game, and did not return.
The Devils announced in a statement that they had placed MacEwen on injured reserve.
It has been a wild start for MacEwen. The forward was acquired from Ottawa on October 3 for Kurtis MacDermid. Less than 24 hours later, the Devils placed MacEwen on waivers, then recalled him the next day. In a span of three days, MacEwen was traded, placed on waivers, and recalled.
His challenges continued, as injuries soon forced him out of most of the Devils' season so far.
In his three games, he recorded no points, four shots, six hits, and one block.
With a string of injuries and constant movement, MacEwen's rough 2025-26 season highlights how much he deserves a break from the injured list.
Since joining the NHL in 2018-19, MacEwen has played for Vancouver, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Ottawa, and now New Jersey.
MacEwen isn’t alone on the Devils' injured list, which has grown nearly every game.
The list of injured players for the Devils now looks like:
J. Hughes (hand)
MacEwen (undisclosed)
Glass (undisclosed)
Hamilton (undisclosed)
Brown (undisclosed)
Pesce (upper-body)
Dadonov (hand)
Kovacevic (knee)
McLaughlin (undisclosed)
Despite constant injuries, the team finds ways to win. Still, MacEwen's ongoing battles show more than ever that he deserves a real break.
Zach MacEwen Has Had a Whirlwind Start with the Devils
Zach MacEwen has already had a whirlwind journey with the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils">New Jersey Devils</a> organization.
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