Overview
- The Devils placed Anthony Mantha on long‑term injured reserve retroactive to November 7 after he took a high stick to the throat, a move that confirms he will be out for an extended stretch.
- New Jersey recalled Lenni Hämeenaho and Stefan Noesen from the AHL’s Utica Comets and loaned Riley Tufte back to Utica as part of the roster moves that followed the LTIR designation.
- The recalled players made an immediate impact when Hämeenaho, Vladislav Kolyachonok and Noesen each scored in a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.
- Mantha’s absence broke up the third line he formed with Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist and moved Arseny Gritsyuk onto the top line with Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes, forcing the Devils to reconfigure their bottom six.
- Reports conflict on which New York Islanders player delivered the high stick that injured Mantha and one outlet noted the retroactive LTIR date could imply a minimum 26‑day absence, leaving the precise attribution and long‑term lineup shape unresolved.