With the 2025-2026 campaign days away, New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe provided his first injury report of the season.
Starting with the Devils' blue line, veteran Brett Pesce did not practice with his teammates Friday afternoon.
"Pesce, we are kind of waiting on it," Keefe said. "He is actually going to be skating later today on his own. In terms of the impact on next week, we will have to see."
The 30-year-old was in New Jersey's lineup Thursday night against the New York Rangers. Through two periods, Pesce played 11:08, including 1:04 of shorthanded ice time. He did not come out for the third period.
The defenseman's status for the club's Oct. 9 season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes is unknown at this time.
Throughout camp, it has been known that 21-year-old Seamus Casey was dealing with a nagging injury. He was held out of the team's first couple of preseason games, appearing in only two, where he collected two assists.
"Not expecting to see Casey back on skates anytime in the near future," Keefe said on Friday.
He then elaborated by saying, "He has had something nagging him throughout camp and preseason. Quite frankly there was probably a portion of the camp that he wasn't being up front about what he was dealing with in an effort to show well, which is admirable, but at the same time we are at the point in the season, it is a long season, we had to shut him down and give him an opportunity to heal and be feeling good about it and not something that will hinder him throughout the season. The exact time, we are not quite sure (about) that. It won't be in the near future."
A seemingly positive sign for the Devils is that Stefan Noesen has been on the ice the past two days. On Thursday, he skated with the morning skate group, and on Friday, he skated with the noon group of players.
"No change (in his status)," Keefe said. "He is going to keep working his way through practice. The last update I had yesterday on him was that he is not close at this point. He is close to full practice participation, but not close to being ready to play."
The 32-year-old winger is dealing with a pre-existing groin injury from last season. He re-injured it late in the summer and required a procedure.
Another forward who will be unavailable to the team in the near future is center Juho Lammikko. The 29-year-old signed a one-year, $800,000 contract with New Jersey on June 16, 2025.
Regarding the Devils' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utica Comets, forward Marc McLaughlin will miss time with an upper-body injury.
New Jersey's preseason will conclude tomorrow afternoon against the Philadelphia Flyers before the club kicks off the regular season with a three-game road trip, beginning in Raleigh.
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