The New Jersey Devils placed defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic on injured reserve Friday and recalled Anton Silaev from the Utica Comets, creating another change on the team’s blue line.
Kovacevic sustained an ankle injury during Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. He did not play in New Jersey’s 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday, and the injured-reserve designation formalizes his absence while the Devils adjust their defensive group.
Kovacevic’s second injured-reserve stint
The move is Kovacevic’s second placement on injured reserve this season. He missed New Jersey’s first five games while recovering from knee surgery performed in May. After returning, he played 13 games and recorded two assists while averaging just under 15 minutes of ice time per game.
Kovacevic, 29, was selected by Winnipeg in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft. He appeared in four games for the Jets before Montreal claimed him off waivers in October 2022. After two seasons with the Canadiens, he joined New Jersey before the 2024-25 season in a trade that sent a 2026 fourth-round pick to Montreal.
He is in the second season of a five-year, $20 million contract. New Jersey has used Kovacevic as a defensive regular, including during a season in which the team has also dealt with other lineup absences.
Silaev moves up from Utica
Silaev is 20 years old and in his first full season in North America. He has appeared in 12 AHL games for Utica and recorded four assists without scoring a goal.
- Silaev was selected by New Jersey with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
- Before coming to North America, he spent three seasons with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in Russia’s KHL.
- His recall gives the Devils another defenseman after Kovacevic’s injury.
Silaev’s promotion gives him an opportunity to enter New Jersey’s lineup while the Devils manage the loss of a veteran defenseman. The recall also links the NHL club’s current roster needs with Utica’s role as its AHL affiliate.
