Patrik Elias To Start Season on IR, Kyle Palmieri Day-To-Day

With just one more game left in preseason, the New Jersey Devils continue to refine their roster for opening night. According to injury updates reported by Tom Gulliti, at least one roster spot is now open.

Left wing Patrik Elias will start the season on the injured reserve list. Elias, who will turn 40 later this season, has not participated in any of the Devils' preseason games because of a sore right knee.

Devils' GM Ray Shero had this brief update on Elias' status:

"He's skated a couple times on his own, but that's it."

Head coach John Hynes also shared his thoughts on Elias and if it made other roster decisions any easier:

"I wouldn't say it makes the job easier, just in a sense that, as we've said before, to have Patrik Elias in the lineup is a bonus for us. He is a key part of a our team, so it's a loss. That's the realistic side of it when you look at the type of player that's out of your lineup, but the other side of it is it's all we've known right now coming into training camp. So, we've liked the way players have stepped up. There's guys that are getting different opportunities right now because Patrik's not in the lineup."

Meanwhile, right wing Kyle Palmieri did not practice with the team today after suffering from an unspecified injury during Wednesday's preseason game against the Flyers.

Hynes seems to think Palmieri will be ready for the season opener, but would not say for sure.

"We just held him off the ice today for treatment and just some precautionary things to see how he's feeling today. It will be a day-to-day, touch-and-go type of thing, but it's nothing too serious right now."

The Devils face off against the Philadelphia Flyers this Friday to close out the preseason. The regular season starts for New Jersey one week later on October 9th at home against the Winnipeg Jets.