New Jersey Devils forward Connor Brown will sit out the first two games of the 2026-27 season after sustaining an injury in practice this week, team reporter Amanda Stein reported Wednesday.
Stein, the club’s manager of content, said head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed the veteran winger “tweaked something in practice on Monday and is being evaluated.”
“He will miss the first two games of the season, Keefe says they don’t expect it to be anything too significant,” Stein posted.
The news arrived one day before New Jersey’s home opener against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night at Prudential Center. The Devils then visit the New York Islanders on Saturday.
Keefe later described the issue as a lower-body injury that left Brown feeling off near the end of Monday’s session. The coach said the 32-year-old would need time and imaging before a clearer timetable emerges, but he did not expect a lengthy absence.
Brown had been slated to start on the right side of the fourth line with center Cody Glass and left wing Amadeus Lombardi. Veteran forward Stefan Noesen is expected to take that spot Thursday, skating with Glass and Lombardi.
The rest of the projected forward group remains intact. Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, Luke Evangelista, Anthony Mantha, Dawson Mercer, Evan Rodrigues and Arseny Gritsyuk are all available.
Brown signed a four-year, $12 million contract with New Jersey in July 2025 after two seasons in Edmonton. In his first year with the Devils, he recorded 18 goals and 25 assists for 43 points in 75 games.
The Toronto native also contributed on the penalty kill and in a two-way role that allowed coaches to move him up and down the lineup. Across 676 career NHL games with Toronto, Ottawa, Washington, Edmonton and New Jersey, Brown has 125 goals and 176 assists.
New Jersey finished last season 42-37-3 and missed the playoffs. The club added depth up front in the offseason, which pushed Brown toward a bottom-six role even as coaches valued his reliability and pace.
The Devils already have other forwards and defensemen on the injured non-roster list, including Nick Bjugstad after pectoral surgery. That makes Brown’s short-term absence another early test of the group’s depth.
Keefe is entering his third season behind the New Jersey bench. The team submitted a 23-man opening roster earlier this week that included 14 forwards, six defensemen and three goaltenders.
Brown did not skate Wednesday as the Devils held their final practice before puck drop. Officials said they would re-evaluate him after additional testing next week.
For a team hoping to rebound from a disappointing 2025-26 campaign, the early injury is a reminder of how quickly plans can shift even before the regular season begins.
