The New Jersey Devils placed forward Anthony Mantha on the long-term injured list after he took a stick to the throat in the Nov. 7 game against the New York Islanders. It forces the Devils to find a replacement until at least the end of the month, if not longer. 

With Mantha missing time, paired with the Johnathan Kovacevic injury, the team has started to spread the Devils thin. They are battling injuries and losing pivotal depth players in the process. The Devils, for the time being, will look to address the injuries from within. 

The Devils called up Stefan Noesen and Lenni Hämeenaho on Wednesday. Both skaters have stood out on the Utica Comets in the American Hockey League. Hämeenaho particularly hopes to have a breakthrough, as a 23-year-old with six goals and three assists in 11 games. He showed flashes last season, with eight points in 33 games, and is looking to become a regular at the NHL level. 

Both forwards can play the Mantha role. Noesen is a veteran with plenty of NHL experience and plays a similar two-way game. He can play alongside Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist if needed. The same is true about Hämeenaho, albeit without the same physical presence.

The Devils can also reconfigure the third and fourth lines. In the past two games, they went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, with Amadeus Lombardi and Jesper Boqvist playing together while forwards rotated in the lineup to play alongside them. With the two call-ups, the Devils will likely return to a traditional lineup but can have Noesen or Hämeenaho playing alongside Cody Glass.

Without Mantha, the Devils won’t have the same depth scoring that they’ve had in the previous weeks. Mantha had five goals and five assists while forming a strong chemistry with Rodrigues and Boqvist. 

Mantha also gave the Devils a different look, especially with their depth. He added a physical checking element while still providing a scoring touch. Likewise, Mantha proved he can play anywhere in the lineup. 

The Devils won’t replace that production or the versatility with their latest call-ups. However, both forwards can soften the blow. Noesen will provide stability, while Hämeenaho can potentially add upside if he plays, as a young forward who has developed. 

The same is true about the Devils finding a Kovacevic replacement. The timeline for the defenseman’s injury is unknown after he left the Tuesday game against the Winnipeg Jets. While Declan Chisholm won’t play the same shutdown role, he’ll round out the defense, playing the third pair and preventing it from becoming a liability. 

At the moment, the Devils don’t look like a team that needs to address any issues. They are 13-6 and sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division. The 4-2 loss to the Jets snapped a five-game winning streak, and the team has played well across the board. 

The injuries become a problem once the team starts struggling. If the losses pile up or the Devils enter a slump, then it becomes an issue, especially if they can’t find production in the depth lines. The expectation is that the latest call-ups help, and if they don't, they can call up Riley Tufte, who traveled with the team to Winnipeg but didn't play and was sent back to the Comets (maybe he gets the call down the line). 

Likewise, the Devils must search for answers if the injuries pile up. They’ve been fortunate so far that they haven’t battled many injuries and, specifically, haven’t seen a core player leave the lineup. That said, if it happens, the Devils must find answers. While general manager Sunny Mehta built a roster in the summer that could handle injuries, there’s a chance he’ll still need to make a move or two to ensure the team isn’t affected.