The 33-year-old goalie, who signed a two-year, $8.25 million contract July 28, will meet with doctors this week to determine the next steps and a timeline.
"I am worried," coach Lindy Ruff said. "We're all concerned about long term (health) and where this is going to go, where we'll end up going forward, so I'm worried and very concerned."
Bernier was 4-4-1 with a 3.06 goals-against average and .902 save percentage in 10 games (eight starts) this season. He last played Dec. 3 in an 8-4 loss at the Winnipeg Jets when he allowed six goals on 32 shots before being replaced for the third period by Mackenzie Blackwood.
"It's the same issue he's been dealing with since the beginning of the year when he missed some practices and (three) games," Ruff said. "He'll meet with our doctors and medical staff to try to figure out what the next steps can be."
Blackwood started for the Devils in a 3-2 loss to the Nashville Predators on Friday. Akira Schmid, who was recalled from Utica of the American Hockey League on Friday, was the backup.
"It's disappointing just because 'Bernie' has been a good piece for us, a great addition, not just on the ice but in the locker room," Devils forward Jack Hughes said. "We're going to miss him, and he formed a real solid tandem there with him and [Blackwood], so it is what it is, but it's obviously not ideal that we lost him."
Bernier was 9-11-1 with a 2.99 GAA and .914 save percentage in 24 games (23 starts) for the Detroit Red Wings last season.
The Carolina Hurricanes acquired Bernier and a draft pick in a trade with the Red Wings for goalie Alex Nedeljkovic on July 22. He did not sign with them and became an unrestricted free agent.
Selected by the Los Angeles Kings with the No. 11 pick in the 2006 NHL Draft, Bernier is 165-163-40 with a 2.77 GAA, .912 save percentage and 18 shutouts in 404 regular-season games (363 starts) with the Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, Red Wings and Devils. He is 2-5 with a 3.35 GAA and an .885 save percentage in nine Stanley Cup Playoff games (five starts), and won the Cup as the backup to Jonathan Quick with the Kings in 2012.
