DougieNemecSeg4 PHILADELPHIA, P.A. -- The New Jersey Devils will play the Philadelphia Flyers without one of their top defensemen. Head coach Lindy Ruff confirmed that Dougie Hamilton will miss Thursday's game with an upper-body injury. "I don't have an update. He is still being evaluated," Ruff said [https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/1730352872578011199]. "(We will) probably next day or two have a definitive answer on him." The blueliner was injured in the second period of his team's 5-4 victory over the New York Islanders on Nov. 28. He could not finish the game, playing 13:25. Hamilton has 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 20 games this season. He has collected four points over his last five games. Ruff confirmed that Brendan Smith [https://www.nhl.com/devils/player/brendan-smith-8474090]will move to defense, and 26-year-old Samuel Laberge will make his NHL debut. The Devils' injury list also includes Tomas Nosek (upper body), Timo Meier (lower body), Erik Haula (lower body), and Nolan Foote (upper body). Puck drop between the Devils and Flyers will be at 7:00 P.M. at Wells Fargo Center.
