Ahead of the New Jersey Devils‘ final game of the 2024 NHL Global Series, the team announced one forward would miss the game against the Buffalo Sabres due to personal reasons.
Czechia native Ondrej Palat‘s absence is related to the birth of his second child. Per NHL.com’s Mike Morreale, the veteran flew back to New Jersey today.
The 33-year-old announced that his family was expecting in an Instagram post on Aug. 19. His wife gave birth to their first child, a daughter, in 2018.
In Palat’s absence, Kurtis MacDermid will join the lineup and play on the fourth line with Curtis Lazar and Nathan Bastian. Paul Cotter will play in Palat’s spot on the third line with Erik Haula and Stefan Noesen.
In the first game of the 2024-25 season, Palat played 13:46. He was credited with one shot, one blocked shot, and two hits.
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