New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes of Orlando, Florida will have season ending shoulder surgery according to the Associated Press on Tuesday. The surgery will take place on Wednesday in Vail, Colorado by Dr. Peter Millett according to Jessi Dworkin of Fansided.
When did the injury happen?
It is believed that Hughes has been dealing with a shoulder injury for most of the season and has tried to play through the pain. On November 3 in a 4-1 Devils loss to the St. Louis Blues, Hughes fell awkwardly into the boards and injured his right shoulder. As a result, he missed five games. Hughes then had an upper-body injury on January 5 in a 4-2 Devils win over the Chicago Blackhawks. This time he was out a full month. Hughes had played regularly since Sunday, when he sustained another “upper-body injury” in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators. This time it was determined that surgery would be required, and that Hughes should be able to play the start of the 2024-25 National Hockey League regular season.
Hughes’s Statistics in 2023-24
In 62 games, Hughes had 27 goals and 47 assists for 74 points. He was a -12 with 12 penalty minutes, 31 power-play points, four game-winning goals, 274 shots on goal, 118 faceoff wins, 24 blocked shots, 10 hits, 64 takeaways and 71 giveaways.
Massive blow to the Devils
Without Hughes in the lineup, the Devils’s chance for a playoff spot decreases. At the time of the injury, Hughes was leading the Devils with 27 goals, and was second on the team in points. The only Devils player with more points than Hughes’s 74 points, was Jesper Bratt of Stockholm, Sweden, who has 79 points (25 goals and 54 assists).
Six points out of a playoff spot
The Devils chances of making the postseason is minimal. On Tuesday without Hughes, their chances dropped further after losing 5-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs. At 37 wins, 37 regulation losses, and five losses in extra time, the Devils have 79 points. With three games left, the Devils are six points back of the Washington Capitals for the final playoff spot. The Capitals are at 85 points, and won a huge game on Tuesday as they beat the Detroit Red Wings 2-1. With the win, the Capitals moved one point up on the Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins for the final playoff spot. Also in the mix are the Philadelphia Flyers at 83 points, and the Buffalo Sabres, who are tied with the Devils, at 79 points.
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