The New Jersey Devils are having a great game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but what momentum they get from this contest might be dampened depending on the status of Damien Brunner.
The 27-year-old forward played in just two shifts tonight and won’t return due to a lower-body injury, per the Devils PR department.
This is the latest setback in what has been a disappointing season for Brunner. He signed a two-year, $5 million contract with New Jersey, but has just nine goals and 17 points in 41 games. He started to turn things around in December with four goals and five points in four contests, but that hot streak ended with a right knee injury that sidelined him for a month.
The Devils were still hoping that he would get hot again going into the stretch run. They need all the help they can get given that the competition for the Wild Card spots as well as second and third place in the Metropolitan Division is fierce.