Seamus Casey had a great training camp. For the most part, the New Jersey Devils top prospect showed that he was prepared to be an NHL starter if the opportunity emerged. It looked like he might get a chance to play, with Luke Hughes’s holdout going into October and Simon Nemec competing with him stride for stride, but with Hughes re-signing, the opportunity faded.
Still, Casey would likely be the first call up when an inevitable injury happened, so his opportunity was right around the corner.
Unfortunately for Casey, it appears the next Devils defensive injury is his own. On Friday afternoon, he missed Devils practice. When journalists on site asked head coach Sheldon Keefe about it, his update was concerning, to say the least.
Updates from #NJDevils HC Sheldon Keefe:
— Kristy Flannery (@InStilettos_NHL) October 3, 2025
Pesce: "Skating later today on his own, but in terms of the impact on next week we'll have to see"
Casey: "Not expecting to see him back on skates anytime in the near future"
Noesen: "No change. [..] Not close to being ready to play"
There's a lot in this update. For one, many were optimistic that Stefan Noesen was skating again. After saying he was injured during offseason training, we have been trying to piece together when he might come back. The optimism is dulled with this update.
We also learned about Brett Pesce, who got hurt in Thursday's preseason game against the Rangers. Pesce blocked some shots in his last shift, but we're not certain what exactly the injury is.
Seamus Casey might miss some time after an unknown injury
However, it's the Casey injury update that's worst of the three. Were not sure where or when Casey got hurt. We only know he didn't show up for practice on Friday. The update being, "Not expected to see him back on skates anytime in the near future," is awful.
Casey is an important figure for the Devils in that he adds necessary depth with Johnny Kovacevic out injured. The Pesce injury is a great example of that. If Pesce misses opening night, and Casey is not available, the Devils will be forced to play Dennis Cholowski. That's what happens when the Devils are down three players on the same side.
Hopefully, we get a more specific update soon, and it's not as bad as it sounds right now. Casey could end up playing a big role for the Devils this season.