New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed forward Nathan Bastian will draw back into the lineup against the Vancouver Canucks
New Jersey Devils forward Nathan Bastian will return to the lineup on Wednesday night when his team plays the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena.
"(Bastian) will go back in," head coach Sheldon Keefe said.
The 26-year-old has been a healthy scratch for the past two games as Keefe opted to play Kurtis MacDermid.
Keefe told reporters there were some things he needs to see from Bastian, and the 6-foot-4 winger knows what those are.
"He's given us a lot of good minutes; I am not down on him," Keefe continued. "It was just an opportunity to reflect on his overall game. But he has given us really good minutes, he has been an important player for us and will continue to be."
With Curtis Lazar out of the lineup with a lower-body injury, expect Bastian to see time on the penalty kill. Through ten games, the Kitchener, Ontario native averaged 55 seconds of shorthanded ice time this season. Offensively, he has contributed by scoring two goals and adding two assists.
The team's fourth line at practice on Tuesday afternoon consisted of Tomas Tatar, Justin Dowling, and Bastian.
Puck drop between the Devils and Canucks is Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. ET on MSGSN.
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