Zach MacEwen has already had a whirlwind journey with the New Jersey Devils organization.
New Jersey acquired MacEwen in a trade with the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Kurtis MacDermid.
He was on the team for less than 24 hours before being placed on waivers, only to be recalled the next day.
If that wasn’t enough for the 29-year-old right winger, he was scratched from the Devils’ season opener. In the second game, he entered the lineup in place of Evgenii Dadonov, who fractured his hand in the season opener.
MacEwen played just over seven minutes against Tampa Bay. He was having a strong game and recorded a shot that registered 99.2 MPH in the third period, currently the fastest shot in the league. However, he also sustained an undisclosed injury in the third period that kept him out for the remainder of the game.
It was announced today that MacEwen has been placed on Injured Reserve with an upper-body injury. Subsequently, the Devils called up goaltender Nico Daws.
Daws appeared in six NHL games with New Jersey last season, posting a 3–1–0 record, a 1.60 goals-against average, a .939 save percentage, and one shutout.
Team reporter Amanda Stein noted that there is no timeline for MacEwen’s return. According to head coach Sheldon Keefe, he will be out for a “considerable amount of time.”
Zack MacEwen will be out a “considerable amount of time” says #NJDevils HC Sheldon Keefe.
Doesn’t have an exact timeline yet.
— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) October 13, 2025
MacEwen is no stranger to the NHL. After going undrafted, he began his career with the Vancouver Canucks in 2018–19. He played three seasons with the Canucks before stints with the Flyers, Kings, Senators, and now the Devils.
Over eight NHL seasons, MacEwen has played 238 games, recording 17 goals and 17 assists for a total of 34 points.
He will now miss a minimum of seven days, but under NHL Injured Reserve rules, he could remain on the list indefinitely if his recovery takes longer.
The Devils will host their home opener tomorrow night against the Florida Panthers. Puck drop is at 7 p.m., with New Jersey aiming to defeat the defending champions and improve to 3–2–0.
