New Jersey Devils' surprisingly effective bottom-six forward is now out for the season

Another day, and another set of bad news coming from the New Jersey Devils. It’s been a season of turmoil with no end in sight. Now, one of the few reinforcements who could have helped the team is now confirmed to be out for the season. Forward Zack MacEwen is out for the season after getting knee surgery.

MacEwen came to the Devils during the preseason. He was traded straight up for Kurtis MacDermid. The Devils were looking for a more skilled forward for the lineup, and the Ottawa Senators were hoping to get their toughness in a different way. Both fanbases seemed to be happy with the move.

MacEwen only played three games and a total of 19 minutes for the Devils this season. He looked fast and impactful as a fourth-line forward, but it’s hard to tell if it was something he could do consistently. His first game came on October 11th, but he got hurt in that game and was out for a month. 

He returned on November 10th for his only “full” game of the season. In that matchup with the New York Islanders, he took two shots in 14 shifts and just nine minutes of ice time. In the next game, he suffered a serious injury in the first period against the Chicago Blackhawks. 

We were hoping MacEwen could return and provide the Devils with that speed and impact, but it’s not to be. 

According to NHL Edge stats, MacEwen had one of the hardest shots in the league in those 19 minutes. He hit north of 99 miles per hour on a blast in his first game. Two of his four shots were considered “high-danger,” and his team played better on offense than defense. It was the best the fourth line has looked all season.

It’s unfortunate that the Devils lost MacEwen, but they have much bigger problems to consider. They do have to make a decision on his future since he is a free agent after this season. He might be a good, cheap bet coming off the injury. He likely won’t be ready to go in training camp, but he could pump some energy into the lineup in December.