New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes will be sidelined for 6-8 weeks after suffering a shoulder injury during offseason training. The injury, which came to light following the circulation of a viral photo, prompted the Devils to reveal his status publicly. Hughes was expected to play a significant role in the Devils’ defense heading into the 2024-2025 season, but this setback will delay his start.
As the younger brother of fellow NHL stars Jack and Quinn Hughes, Luke had a strong finish to his rookie season and was poised to continue his development as a key part of the Devils’ blue line. His absence will be felt, especially as the team looks to build on its recent success in the competitive Metropolitan Division. Despite this, the Devils are hopeful that Hughes will recover fully and rejoin the lineup later in the season. This recovery period may impact their early season defense strategy, but the team is confident in its depth to cover his absence.