Curtis Lazar injury: NHL Insider provides damning update on Devils forward

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Apr 08, 2024 15:36 GMT

New Jersey Devils forward Curtis Lazar's season has been abruptly halted due to an upper-body injury sustained during Saturday night's game against the Ottawa Senators.

Interim head coach Travis Green confirmed Lazar's absence from Sunday night's lineup against the Nashville Predators and hinted at the possibility of his absence extending for the remainder of the 2023–24 season.

According to Mike Morreale of NHL.com:

"New Jersey Devils forward Curtis Lazar will be out for the rest of the season with an upper-body injury. He was injured in the second period of Saturday’s game."

Curtis Lazar's injury occurred in the second period when he collided with Senators forward Parker Kelly. Despite being given credit for a hit, Lazar was unable to continue playing and did not return to the ice for the rest of the game.

Lazar's absence marks the end of what was shaping up to be a career-defining season for the 29-year-old forward.

Throughout the campaign, Lazar scored 25 points, with seven goals and 18 assists, in 71 games. Lazar's contributions to the Devils' lineup were remarkable, with one goal shy of tying his career best.

The Devils have called Shane Bowers from the Utica Comets on Sunday afternoon to fill the void in the lineup.

Predators secured a 3-2 victory over the Devils in the absence of Curtis Lazar

In a thrilling Sunday night matchup, Ryan O'Reilly's shootout heroics propelled the Nashville Predators to a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils.

O'Reilly's winning goal against his former teammate Jake Allen showcased his adaptability and strategic skills.

"He kind of knows my normal moves so I kind of thought I’d do something a little different on him and just try to see what I could get and lucky for me it got past him," O'Reilly said.

Nashville Predators' Luke Evangelista, praised by coach Andrew Brunette for his poise and inventiveness, tied the game late in the third period with a power-play goal.

Despite the Devils' efforts, highlighted by goals from Jack Hughes and Chris Tierney, they find themselves outside of a playoff spot. Interim coach Travis Green expressed confidence in rookie defenseman Luke Hughes, who set a franchise record for rookie defensemen points.

“He’s a bright young player in the league. He’s getting better and better and not just offensively," Green said.

The game was plagued by injuries, with Nashville's Kaapo Kahkonen leaving in the first period with an unidentified ailment and New Jersey's Curtis Lazar probably out for the season after suffering an upper-body injury in the previous game.

The Predators secured a crucial win, propelling them into the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Devils face an uphill battle in their playoff push, trailing behind the Detroit Red Wings for a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.