Bjugstad (pectoral) will begin the 2026-27 regular season on the injured non-roster list, per Mike Morreale of NHL.com.
Bjugstad underwent surgery earlier in September to repair the torn left pectoral muscle he suffered while training in the offseason. The 34-year-old forward had a quiet 2025-26 campaign, where he posted six goals, nine points, 77 shots on net, 108 hits and 33 blocked shots across 61 regular-season games between St. Louis and New Jersey. He would've potentially had a similar role with New Jersey if he was healthy for Opening Night. His expected timeline for return is 4-6 months, which places him off the fantasy radar until the second half of the upcoming season.