Devils’ Meier Takes Leave of Absence, Dadonov on IR

The New Jersey Devils have announced a couple of roster moves on the morning of Thursday, Dec. 11.

The first announcement was that Timo Meier will be taking a leave of absence to attend to a family health matter. Meier has recorded 23 points in 30 games via 11 goals and 12 assists. Since Jack Hughes’ injury, he has been playing left wing alongside Nico Hischier at center and either Stefan Noesen or Jesper Bratt at right wing on the first line.

The most important thing at this moment is that Meier is with his family as they navigate the situation. It is admirable that Meier would take a step back from hockey to be with his family. Hoping for the best during this tough time for the Meier family. 

On top of this, the Devils announced Evgenii Dadonov has been placed on injured reserve (IR) for a wrist injury. He has not played since Nov. 24. Dadonov was also out earlier this season after sustaining a hand fracture in the Devils’ season opener. He has only played five games with his new team so far this season.

Since Dadonov was placed on IR, they had a roster spot available. They have recalled forward Xavier Parent from the Utica Comets, the Devils’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate team. In the past 20 games with the Comets, Parent has recorded 12 points via six goals and six assists. He currently has the most recorded points on the Comets’ roster for the 2025-26 season. Parent has yet to play in his first NHL game, but that could change tonight.

The Devils are preparing to host the Tampa Bay Lightning later tonight, with puck drop set for 7:00 PM. With changes to the forward group, the Devils will have to pull out all the stops to pull out another win.