Hughes will have shoulder surgery Wednesday and miss the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign.
Hughes and the Devils were running out of time to make the postseason, so the decision for the world-class center to have surgery likely won't have any impact on the team's playoff prospects anyway. Instead, Hughes will get a head start on his recovery for the 2024-25 campaign by missing the last four games of the current season. The 22-year-old Florida native ends the year having racked up 27 goals and 47 helpers, including 31 power-play points. Shane Bowers should see an uptick in opportunities with Hughes on the shelf.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Out Tuesday
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Hughes (upper body) will not play Tuesday against Toronto, per Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site.
Hughes has played in 62 games for the Devils this season, logging 27 goals and 47 assists. At this point it isn't clear if he's in danger of missing multiple contests with his upper-body issue. Once he returns, look for Hughes to return to his featured role skating on the first line and No. 1 power-play unit.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: One of each Sunday
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Hughes posted one goal and one assist in Sunday's 4-0 win over the Islanders.
Hughes assisted on Timo Meier's game-winning power-play goal in the first minute of the second period. The 22-year-old Hughes got his 24th tally of the season shortly afterward. He has been hot down the stretch, accumulating nine goals and 24 points over his last 22 outings. In 56 appearances this campaign, Hughes has amassed 24 goals, 69 points and 253 shots on net.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Four points in last two games
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Hughes scored two power-play goals Thursday in a 4-1 win over Winnipeg.
He opened the scoring at 9:00 of the second period when he stuffed in a rebound just outside the left post. Hughes then pushed the score to 3-1 with a redirection from the slot. Both goals came on the power play and were his first in eight games. He has four points (two goals, two assists) in his last two games. Hughes has missed 16 games this season, but he still leads the Devils in scoring with 67 points (tied with Jesper Bratt). Hughes' 23 goals also tie him with Nico Hischier for the team lead. When healthy, Hughes has delivered 1.24 points per game, which puts him 11th in the NHL.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Two helpers against Pens
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Hughes notched two assists, one on the power play, in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Penguins.
Both helpers came in the third period as Hughes had a hand in tallies by Alexander Holtz and Timo Meier, the former being the eventual game-winner. Hughes has three multi-point performances in the last 11 games, racking up three goals and 13 points over that stretch, and on the season he's up to 21 goals and 65 points through 53 contests.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Two points in Tuesday's loss
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Hughes scored a power-play goal and added an even-strength assist in Tuesday's 5-3 loss to the Panthers.
It's the third multi-point performance in the last four games for Hughes. The 22-year-old is back in form after missing about a month with an upper-body injury at the beginning of 2024 -- over the last 12 contests, he's collected six goals and 14 points.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Reaches 20-goal mark in loss
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Hughes scored a power-play goal on nine shots and added an assist in Friday's 4-3 loss to the Ducks.
Hughes picked up his second straight multi-point effort, but it wasn't quite enough. The 22-year-old has 20 shots on net over his last two games, as he's taken advantage of inferior competition on the Devils' road trip in California. The center is up to 20 goals, 57 points (25 on the power play), 215 shots on net and a minus-7 rating through 44 appearances this season. Hughes is a lock to remain in the top six and on the first power-play unit.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Racks up three points
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Hughes scored a goal on 11 shots, dished two assists and went plus-3 in Tuesday's 7-2 win over the Sharks.
Hughes picked off a pass and put the Devils ahead 2-1 with his goal at 4:06 of the second period. He also helped out on tallies by Kevin Bahl and Dawson Mercer. Hughes has 10 points over his last nine contests. He's at 19 goals, 55 points, 206 shots on net and a minus-7 rating through 43 appearances this season.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Supplies only offense in loss
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Hughes scored his 18th goal of the season on a game-high 10 shots on net in Thursday's 5-1 loss to the Rangers.
The 22-year-old also chipped in a blocked shot and a plus-1 rating, impressive considering the final score. Hughes spoiled Igor Shesterkin's shutout bid with a little over two minutes left in the third period, but it was about the only highlight for the Devils on the night. Hughes needed a couple games to shake off the rust after missing most of January and the first game after the All-Star break due to an upper-body injury, but over the last six contests he's racked up three goals and six points while putting 41 shots on net.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Converts on end-to-end rush
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Hughes scored a goal on six shots in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Predators.
Hughes struck on an end-to-end rush in the second period. After going scoreless in his first two games back from an upper-body injury, Hughes has three points over his last two outings. The 22-year-old superstar has 17 goals, 48 points, 162 shots on net and a minus-6 rating through 36 contests overall as one of the Devils' most productive scorers.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Scores first goal since injury
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Hughes notched a goal and an assist in New Jersey's 3-1 win over Seattle on Monday.
Monday's goal was Hughes' first in the three games he's played since missing 11 with an upper-body injury. The lack of goals isn't because he's not getting pucks to the net. Hughes has put 18 shots on goal since returning. He's up to 16 goals and 47 points through 35 contests this season.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Returning Thursday
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Hughes (upper body) will return to action versus Calgary on Thursday.
The New Jersey superstar has missed the last 11 games and will see time alongside Tyler Toffoli (illness) and Alexander Holtz in even-strength situations. Hughes has 15 tallies and 45 points in only 32 contests this season. He will also return to the first power-play unit with Toffoli, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Luke Hughes.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Skating in a regular jersey
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Hughes (upper body) is now skating in a regular jersey and will be reevaluated before Thursday's contest against Calgary, Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site.
Hughes participated in special teams work in practice and also continued skating with other injured players. The 22-year-old has missed the past 10 games -- he sits at 15 goals and 30 assists in 32 appearances on the year. Once healthy, the youngster will be inserted back into the top line with Ondrej Palat and Jesper Bratt.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: On injured reserve
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Hughes (upper body) was put on injured reserve Thursday.
The move is retroactive to Jan. 5, so Hughes can be activated at any time, but he's not expected to return before the All-Star Game anyway. Putting Hughes on IR opened up a roster spot, which the Devils used to claim Nick DeSimone off waivers from Calgary on Thursday. Hughes has 15 goals and 45 points in 32 contests this season.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Won't return before All-Star break
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Hughes (upper body) will remain sidelined through the All-Star Game, Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site reports Monday.
Hughes will miss at least three more games after having already been sidelined for the previous 10 outings due to his upper-body injury. Nico Hischier should continue to feature in a first-line role due to Hughes being out of the lineup. With 45 points through 32 games this season, Hughes could still challenge for the 90-point threshold if he's able to return shortly after the All-Star break.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Not close to returning
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Hughes (upper body) is still regarded as week-to-week, coach Lindy Ruff told Peter Baugh of The Athletic on Wednesday.
Hughes hasn't played since Jan. 5. He has 15 goals and 45 points in 32 outings in 2023-24. When Hughes is able to return, he should regain his spot as part of the Devils' top line and first power-play unit. Until Hughes is back, Michael McLeod is projected to continue to serve in a top-six capacity.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Suffers injury Friday
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Hughes (undisclosed) left early during Friday's win over Chicago, Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site reports.
Hughes had two shots on goal and a minus-1 rating in 21:24 of ice time before exiting the contest. There was no update on his status after the game. The star center has racked up 15 goals and 45 points through 32 games this season. New Jersey will immediately be back in action Saturday against the Canucks.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Provides three points vs. Senators
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Hughes supplied a goal and two assists in a 6-2 win over Ottawa on Friday.
Hughes found the back of the net with the man advantage midway through the first period to tie the game at 1-1 and then registered an assist on Jesper Bratt's power-play goal late in the same frame. Hughes' second helper was on Tyler Toffoli's even-strength tally. Hughes has been held off the scoresheet just once over his last five contests, giving him a goal and six points over that stretch. Through 29 appearances this year, he's provided 15 goals and 43 points. Although the 22-year-old's current pace of 1.48 points per game is likely to dip a touch as the campaign wears on, he should continue to produce at an impressive rate as a member of New Jersey's top line and first power-play unit.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Hat trick in Saturday's win
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Hughes scored three goals, including the game-winner on the power play, in Saturday's 6-3 victory over the Blue Jackets.
The 22-year-old set the tone for the night by beating Daniil Tarasov on his backhand just 47 seconds into the first period, and Hughes then added tallies in the second and third to complete his second career hat trick. It's his fourth three-point performance in the last nine games, and since returning from a shoulder injury in mid-November, Hughes has produced nine goals and 17 points in 13 contests.
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Devils' Jack Hughes: Three-point effort in win
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Hughes scored a goal on six shots and added two assists in Tuesday's 6-5 win over the Canucks.
Hughes even finished with the most points of any member of his family in the game -- teammate Luke Hughes had one goal while the Canucks' Quinn Hughes racked up two assists. The 22-year-old center has four goals and seven assists over his last five games. This was Hughes' 10th multi-point effort of the season. He's up to 10 goals, 23 assists, 87 shots on net and a plus-1 rating through 18 appearances in a top-six role.
