The New Jersey Devils’ season has been a rollercoaster-and not the fun kind. Despite a recent surge that’s seen them win four of their last five, they’re still sitting four points out of a playoff spot.
And now, they’ve been hit with another gut punch: they’re going to be without one of their top defensemen for the foreseeable future. But in a twist, it’s not the $9 million man everyone’s been talking about.
Dougie Hamilton’s name has been swirling in trade rumors for weeks, but it’s not him heading to the shelf. Instead, it’s Luke Hughes who’s going to miss time-and while that’s a blow, there’s a silver lining.
According to a report, Hughes has avoided the worst-case scenario. No surgery, at least for now.
Hughes is dealing with an upper-body injury, and after consulting with doctors-including, reportedly, Dr. Peter Millett in Colorado, who has worked with both Hughes brothers-he’s opted for a rehab approach instead of going under the knife.
The Devils placed him on Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) on Monday, and he’s expected to be out through the Olympic break. What happens after that is still up in the air.
This is familiar territory for Hughes, unfortunately. Shoulder issues have plagued him throughout his young career.
He’s already had surgery in each of the last two offseasons, and he’s missed chunks of time with similar injuries. It’s also worth noting that his brother, Jack Hughes, has dealt with his own history of shoulder trouble, including multiple season-ending injuries.
Still, there’s reason for cautious optimism. Hughes had been playing some of his best hockey before the injury-showing the kind of poise and offensive spark that made the Devils confident in his long-term potential.
He was cutting down on mistakes and making a real impact at both ends of the ice. If he can rehab successfully and return for the stretch run, that could be a huge boost for New Jersey as they try to claw their way back into the playoff picture.
From a roster management standpoint, the decision to avoid season-ending surgery also affects the Devils’ cap flexibility. Because Hughes isn’t officially done for the year, the team can’t access the full $9 million of his cap hit.
Instead, they’ll only be able to use $3.8 million in LTIR relief. That limits what they can do on the trade market-unless something changes and Hughes is eventually ruled out for the season.
For now, though, the Devils are holding out hope. Hughes is going to try to battle through, and if he can make it back in time for the final push, it could be a game-changer. In a season that’s been defined by frustration and false starts, just having that possibility on the table gives New Jersey something to hold onto.