The New Jersey Devils, already facing injury challenges, have encountered another setback with a key player in Game 1 against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Veteran defenseman Brenden Dillon sustained an apparent lower-body injury midway through the second period and required assistance to leave the ice. He did not return for the remainder of the second period or the start of the third.
Dillon, aged 34, is a seasoned defenseman for the Devils. The team is currently without top-four defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler and star center Jack Hughes due to injuries.
Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe informed reporters post-game that Dillon expressed a desire to return to the game, but team doctors held him back, as reported by Sportsnet`s Elliotte Friedman.