Jonas Siegenthaler took an awkward hit along the boards late in the third period against the Utah Mammoth and didn’t return to the game. For fans of the New Jersey Devils, this is a script they’ve gotten all too familiar with in recent years, where a key player goes down, misses time, and the team struggles to replace them.

At first, head coach Sheldon Keefe didn’t know what the timeline was for the injured Siegenthaler. “He's going to have to be evaluated. Obviously, he wasn't okay enough to return, but we won’t know until they can get him assessed in the coming days here,” he stated after the game.

Keefe was optimistic after Thursday’s practice that Siegenthaler would return to the lineup. I think he's better than originally thought, which is good news. He's going to try to skate tomorrow and see how that goes, and then make a decision from there. He’s not ruled out yet for Saturday, so we’ll see where he’s at,” Keefe noted despite Siegenthaler not skating with the team. 

It’s unknown how long Siegenthaler is out. The optimistic view is that he’s day-to-day, but there’s always a chance this lingers and becomes week-to-week. The point is the Devils must prepare for a heavy slate of games as if they might not have him and piece together the defense moving forward. 

While Siegenthaler struggled early on in the season, he’s been one of the best defensemen on the Devils. Specifically, he’s a shutdown defenseman who can clean up pucks near the net and get into shooting lanes. 

If he’s out, the Devils must lean on the alternatives. That means the Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce pair must have more ice time, even if it hasn't been a good pair defensively, and Brenden Dillon and Dougie Hamilton must step up in the defensive zone. 

Ideally, Siegenthaler’s injury is short-term, and if he misses any time, it’s the Saturday afternoon game against the Vancouver Canucks. However, with a gauntlet of games ahead, there’s a good chance he isn’t ready to play at a high level, forcing the Devils to adjust. 

The defense was already the weak link for the Devils this season. They not only allowed 13 goals in three games, with 11 in the last two, but have also allowed skaters to find open looks right in front of the net. Without Siegenthaler, the defense becomes a bigger issue. 

If he misses multiple games, the unit might unravel and cost the Devils in the week ahead. It’s a defense that’s playing poorly, and goaltenders won’t fix it either, whether it’s Jake Allen, Nico Daws, or Rémi Poirier, who joined Thursday’s practice. It's easy to look at the Devils and say that elite goaltending would change things, but there aren't many goaltenders who would make that difference with the way the defense has played in front of them. 

The adjustments must come from within. It starts with the rest of the players stepping up and the coaching staff working on the systems. Keefe must clean things up and have the defense play with more structure to prevent it from falling apart. 

A good sign was Kovacevic returning for Thursday’s practice. He’ll practice again on Friday in hopes of playing in Saturday’s game. He’s one of the defensemen who can protect the net front and clean things up, much like Siegenthaler has done in the past. 

Kovacevic skated on the same pair as Dillon, and if he’s ready, it gives Keefe a pair he can lean on to lock down the opponents. Likewise, Declan Chisholm has been a pleasant surprise early on so far and someone who can give the Devils more depth. 

Speaking of depth, there’s a good chance Connor Brown is back next week. He’s the versatile forward who can play anywhere in the lineup but specifically helps the defense. He checks, defends, and provides stability to the lineup, which the Devils need after their first three games. 

The Devils, like many teams around the league, are still getting a feel for the roster. A shortened preseason and injuries didn't help the cause. However, they have time to figure everything out and the talent to rebound from a slow start. It starts with an improved defense.