The New Jersey Devils are in a tailspin - and the frustration is starting to show.
After a promising 16-8-1 start through the end of November, the Devils have hit a wall. With just 58 points in 56 games, they’ve slid near the bottom of the Metropolitan Division standings and are currently on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoff picture. The early-season optimism has given way to a hard reality: this team has lost its edge, and the clock is ticking.
Jack Hughes, the face of the franchise and one of the league’s most electric young stars, didn’t sugarcoat things when asked about the team’s struggles during a Devils Youth Foundation event on Monday. His message wasn’t polished, and it certainly wasn’t meant to rally the fanbase. Instead, it was raw, honest, and maybe even a little weary.
"I honestly have nothing to say to them," Hughes said when asked about what he’d tell Devils fans. "Honestly, like for us, it's just our group.
We've got to figure out a way to win more hockey games... It's on us."
It wasn’t a speech designed for headlines or highlight reels. It was a player speaking from the middle of a season that’s gone sideways, trying to shoulder the weight of unmet expectations.
Hughes’ tone made it clear - this isn’t about outside noise or fan pressure. This is about a locker room that needs to find its own answers.
Naturally, the reaction on social media was mixed. Some fans were quick to criticize Hughes, accusing him of being dismissive or out of touch. Others defended him, pointing out the context and the emotional toll of a frustrating season.
That kind of split reaction is par for the course in today’s sports landscape. But beneath the noise, Hughes’ comments reflect something deeper: a team that knows it’s underperforming and a player who’s trying to take accountability, even if the delivery didn’t land for everyone.
Meanwhile, the on-ice product hasn’t done much to quiet the storm. The Devils dropped their second straight game on Tuesday night, getting shut out 3-0 by the Columbus Blue Jackets at home.
That loss followed a 4-1 defeat to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday - both games played without Hughes, who’s been sidelined with a lower-body injury he sustained during a 3-2 overtime win against the Nashville Predators on Jan. 29.
The absence of Hughes was felt in both losses. He’s the engine of this offense, and without him, the Devils have looked flat and disjointed.
But there’s a glimmer of hope: Hughes was back on the ice Tuesday morning, skating briefly after practice and getting in some solo shooting work. Head coach Sheldon Keefe said the team is hopeful he’ll return for Thursday’s game against the New York Islanders - their final matchup before the Olympic break.
"It's just a level of strength and obviously pain subsiding," Keefe said. "But it's more so the strength and to be able to have the necessary reinforcement that you need to play in an NHL game."
Hughes, for his part, is pushing to be back in the lineup. But as Keefe noted, it’s ultimately up to the medical staff - and they’re not quite ready to give the green light just yet.
Through 36 games this season, Hughes has racked up 36 points - continuing to produce at a point-per-game pace despite missing time. That’s been the story of his last few seasons: elite production when he’s on the ice, but a growing concern around durability. Over the past two years, he’s missed at least 20 games each season, though he’s still managed to tally 144 points in 124 games during that stretch.
The Devils desperately need him back - not just for his scoring, but for his presence. This is a team that’s lost its rhythm, and Hughes is the kind of player who can reset the tempo.
But even when he returns, the road ahead won’t be easy. With just over 25 games left in the season, New Jersey needs to find consistency - fast - if they want to claw their way back into the playoff race.
For now, the message is clear: it’s on the players. The results, the effort, the turnaround - it all starts in that locker room. And if Jack Hughes’ words are any indication, the Devils know exactly where they stand.