The New Jersey Devils have made a major decision regarding Luke Hughes. The team announced that Hughes will be out for the remainder of the season due to an undisclosed procedure.
The Devils are already out of playoff contention and have only two games remaining in the regular season. The team is currently in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division, with 85 points from 80 games.
With only a handful of games left, the team opted to have Hughes undergo the procedure now so he can begin rehabilitation early and be ready for next season. The Devils’ X post reads,
“#NEWS: The New Jersey Devils have shut down D Luke Hughes to undergo a procedure and get a head start on rehab for the off-season.”
Luke Hughes suffered a serious shoulder injury earlier in the season during a game against the Calgary Flames on January 19. He was involved in a heavy collision with the boards, forcing him to leave the game.
The Devils later placed the 22-year-old defenseman on long-term injured reserve. Although Hughes did briefly return to the ice, he was not at full strength.
Hughes continued to deal with shoulder issues, and it has been reported that the procedure is related to that injury. The move is expected to help the young defenseman fully recover and maintain his level of play moving forward.
HC Sheldon Keefe spoke out on Devils’ decision to shut down Luke Hughes
Following the announcement that Luke Hughes will be shut down for the remainder of the season, Devils HC Sheldon Keefe claimed that Hughes had actually undergone surgery and that he would have needed it sooner rather than later. Keefe added that the team believed it was in Hughes’ best interest that he have the procedure now so that his rehab could be completed before the start of the next season.
According to an X post by Amanda Stein, Keefe stated,
“Nothing happened per se. Very similar situation to Gritsyuk. Something the player needs to get done at some point.”
The Devils have a lot going on right now as they are also looking for new leadership. The team recently parted ways with long-time general manager Tom Fitzgerald, and they are still looking for someone to fill the post.
Interestingly, reports suggest that along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are also looking for a new general manager, the Devils may approach Florida Panthers associate general manager Sunny Mehta for the role.
The squad can also expect to assess their head coach, Sheldon Keefe, and there are rumors that they may consider replacing him, too.
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