The New Jersey Devils are looking to bounce back in 2024-25 after a disappointing 2023-24 season. Defenseman Luke Hughes is expected to make a leap in his second full season with the team. On Thursday, that hope was dealt a massive blow when the team reported that Hughes would be out 6-8 weeks with a shoulder injury.
Hughes, the brother of Devils' star forward Jack Hughes, is 21 years old and expected to be a great defenseman for years to come. He finished third in the Calder Trophy voting for top rookie in his first season. The loss impacts the Devils greatly, but they did improve the blue line in the offseason.
Brett Pesce signed a six-year deal to leave the Carolina Hurricanes for New Jersey. The addition was, in part, to help Hughes's development and give him another veteran on the blue line. While Hughes will spend the first portion of the season rehabbing, it will be interesting to see how Hughes gels with Pesce.
Simon Nemec is another young defenseman who the Devils are very high on. He was the second-overall pick in the 2022 draft and played 60 games last season. Nemec is right-handed and Hughes is lefty, so dreaming of them playing defense together for the next decade is not far-fetched. It will be important for the team to develop Nemec to reach Hughes' level while he is out.
With or without Luke Hughes, the Devils have high expectations coming into the 2024-25 season. What does this injury mean for those expectations? And how can Hughes help get them back into the playoffs after a poor season last year?
Expectations for Devils and Luke Hughes
The Devils had one of the best seasons in franchise history in 2021-22. They had 112 points, the most in team history, and finished second in the Metropolitan Division. The Devils beat the Rangers in the first round but fell to the Hurricanes in the second round to end the magical season. There were not many concerns, however, as they were a young team with a veteran coach in Lindy Ruff.
A season later, they finished well out of the playoffs with 81 points, fired Ruff mid-season, and made big acquisitions to improve their team. With Pesce and Jacob Markstrom in the fold, there is less pressure on Luke Hughes to be a top-end defenseman at such a young age. The offense still runs through his brother and should be great again as long as Jack stays healthy.
The defense is healthier as well, getting Dougie Hamilton back from injury. The veteran missed a majority of last season with a pectoral injury. Hughes stepped up in his absence but now, their top defenseman is back to run the unit. Hughes will be able to learn under Hamilton and become a better defenseman because of it.
Hughes' timeline has him coming back in November, just in time to ramp up and play most of the season. Expect him to continue the great start to his career when he comes back. The new EA NHL cover boy will be a star for the Devils for years to come.
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