The New Jersey Devils may have eked out an overtime win against the Nashville Predators, but the victory came with a heavy cost - and it’s one that could have serious implications for their playoff hopes.
Jack Hughes left the game early after logging just 2:27 across three shifts and attempting one shot. He briefly returned for a test shift, but it was clear something wasn’t right.
He didn’t come back after that, and postgame, head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed it was a lower-body injury. The team is set to evaluate him further today.
That’s a gut punch for a Devils squad already walking a tightrope in the Eastern Conference standings. Sitting in 11th place and seven points out of a playoff spot, New Jersey is running out of runway before the Olympic break. With only three games left before players head off to represent their countries, the Devils need every point they can get - and they need their stars on the ice to get them.
To make matters worse, they’re already dealing with the absence of Cody Glass, who’s day-to-day with a leg injury. Keefe downplayed any long-term concern, and there’s a chance Glass could return tomorrow - he skated today and is traveling with the team to Ottawa - but his status remains up in the air.
If both Hughes and Glass are unavailable, the Devils would be forced to roll with Nico Hischier, Dawson Mercer, Paul Cotter, and Luke Glendening down the middle. That’s not exactly the kind of center depth you want in a must-win stretch.
Unless someone like Timo Meier suddenly morphs into a playmaking pivot, this is a tough look.
The timing couldn’t be worse. This team has been clawing to stay in the hunt since Jack Hughes suffered that bizarre finger injury at a Chicago steakhouse earlier in the season - a freak accident that derailed what was shaping up to be a strong campaign.
Since then, the Devils have been battling through a perfect storm of issues: shaky goaltending, defensive lapses, and inconsistent scoring. Take away your best player - again - and the margin for error shrinks to zero.
General Manager Tom Fitzgerald did make a move this week, shipping out Ondrej Palat along with a couple of draft picks in exchange for Maxim Tsyplakov. The big winger had 35 points in his rookie season last year and brings some upside, but more importantly, the trade clears $3.75 million in cap space.
It’s a forward-thinking move that opens the door for further additions, but if Hughes isn’t healthy, you have to wonder what kind of playoff push this team can realistically make. Even if the trade pays dividends next season, it’s hard not to feel like the Devils are trying to plug a sinking ship with duct tape.
Still, there’s some reason for cautious optimism. Cody Glass has been quietly excellent lately, with six goals and nine points in his last nine games before taking a puck to the leg.
He may not be a top-line scorer, but he’s been a steady middle-six presence - and right now, the Devils can’t afford to lose any more stability. If he’s able to suit up against Ottawa, that’s a small win in itself.
As for Hughes, the team hasn’t ruled him out long-term, but the tone around his status doesn’t exactly scream confidence for tomorrow’s game. If he misses the next three contests and then suits up for Olympic play, it’s going to raise some eyebrows.
Since returning from the finger injury, Hughes has posted two goals and 16 points in 19 games - solid numbers, but it’s clear he hasn’t quite looked like himself. Whether it’s lingering effects from the injury or just trying to find his rhythm again, he hasn’t been the same game-breaking presence.
And yet, the Devils still desperately need him on the ice.
Even when he’s not scoring, Hughes draws top matchups, opens up space for teammates, and serves as a focal point of the offense. Without him, the Devils are forced to get creative - and that’s not a luxury they can afford when every game is a must-win.
Tomorrow’s opponent, the Ottawa Senators, are in a similar spot - fighting tooth and nail for every point before the Olympic break. It’s the kind of game where depth matters, and right now, the Devils are dangerously thin down the middle. Nico Hischier is a rock, but beyond him, it’s a patchwork group trying to hold the line.
And it’s not just the forward group taking hits. Defensively, the Devils are still without Luke Hughes, who’s nursing a shoulder injury.
The way it happened suggests he may have been playing through something for a while, and now the team is without its best skating defenseman - and the only blueliner who can reliably transition the puck with his legs. That’s a significant loss.
In Luke’s absence, Jack had started to take on more puck-carrying duties at even strength - a necessary adjustment given the lack of mobility on the back end. Without Luke and possibly without Jack, the Devils are down to Dougie Hamilton and Simon Nemec as their primary offensive threats from the blue line. That’s a tall order, especially when the rest of the defense isn’t built to push the pace.
Bottom line: missing one Hughes brother is tough. Missing both? That could be a death knell for a team trying to keep its season alive.
The next three games are as close to must-win as it gets in January. If the Devils want to stay in the playoff hunt - and not just tread water - they need bodies back in the lineup.
Fast. Because right now, the foundation is cracking, and the clock is ticking.