The New Jersey Devils announced on Thursday that defenseman Luke Hughes of Manchester, New Hampshire will be out long term with a shoulder injury according to nhl.com. It is estimated at this time that Hughes will be out six to eight weeks. However, according to Jason Gregor of Sports 1440 Radio Station in Edmonton, Hughes could be out longer, possibly even until late November.
When do the Devils begin their regular season?
New Jersey begins their 2024-25 National Hockey League regular season on October 4 and October 5 against the Buffalo Sabres. The games will be in Prague, Czech Republic.
How did Luke Hughes suffer the injury?
According to James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now, Hughes suffered the injury while training in the offseason. Ironically, Luke’s brother Jack Hughes, who is a star forward for the Devils, had shoulder surgery in April, prior to the conclusion of the 2023-24 National Hockey League regular season. It was a bitterly disappointing 2023-24 season for the Devils. After New Jersey had 112 points in 2022-23, (the third most number of points in the Eastern Conference), the Devils only had 81 points in 2023-24 (the fourth fewest number of points in the Eastern Conference).
Luke Hughes in 2023-24
Hughes had nine goals and 38 assists for 47 points in 82 games, and was a very poor -25. He had 28 penalty minutes, 25 power-play points, one game-winning goal, 135 shots on goal, 55 blocked shots, 24 hits, 42 takeaways and 69 giveaways.
Despite Hughes’s well below average defensive play (also had a poor -27 takeaway/giveaway ratio), he made the NHL All-Rookie team for defense, and was third in Calder Trophy voting (behind Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Beadard of North Vancouver, British Columbia, and Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber of Maple Grove. Minnesota). However it should be noted that Bedard was even worse than Hughes at -44.
Hughes’s game-winning goal came on November 30 in a 4-3 Devils win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Hughes scored from his brother Jack of Orlando, and Nico Hischier of Brig, Switerzland at the 28 second mark of the overtime period.
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