Devils center Nico Hischier will be out for the foreseeable future with a head injury. Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports

Devils captain Nico Hischier on IR with concussion, broken nose

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Mar 4, 2021 7:00 PM ET

Bad fortune continues to find New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier this winter.

As noted by the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), the Devils confirmed on Thursday that they've placed the 22-year-old center on injured reserve retroactive to Feb. 27 because of the concussion and broken nose he suffered during last Saturday's loss to the Washington Capitals.

With under five minutes remaining in the third period, teammate P.K. Subban delivered a slap shot that deflected directly into Hischier's visor. Play was halted as Hischier received attention and, ultimately, skated off the ice:

"Based on the injury, his timeline is week-to-week, as he undergoes observation, before a return to action," the Devils said in a brief statement. In a corresponding roster move, New Jersey recalled forward Janne Kuokkanen from the taxi squad.

It's yet another brutal blow for Hischier, who missed the first 11 games of the season dealing with a leg injury and then the NHL's COVID-19 protocol list. The Devils named him captain on Feb. 20, the same day he made his season debut. He played in only five games and recorded two goals and one assist before this latest setback. All three of those points came in his last two contests.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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