Devils defenseman Luke Hughes out 6-8 weeks with shoulder injury

New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes will need between six to eight weeks to recover from a shoulder injury he suffered earlier this month, the team said Thursday.

Hughes suffered a left shoulder injury during offseason training. After being evaluated by the Devils' medical staff, it was determined he would not require surgery and that it could take more than six weeks for him to recover.

That timeline means Hughes would miss the Devils' seven preseason games and their season-opening games on Oct. 4 and Oct. 5 against the Buffalo Sabres in Prague, Czechia. The earliest he could return would be the week of Oct. 20, which means the Devils would have already played eight regular-season games.

Losing Hughes for even a brief period comes after he used his rookie campaign to reinforce why he's considered one of the game's brightest young stars. Hughes finished last season with six goals and 47 points while also being one of five Devils to play in all 82 games.

What Hughes accomplished as a rookie led to him finishing third in Calder Trophy voting behind the eventual winner, Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, and Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber.

Hughes and Faber were the only rookie defensemen who played all 82 games last season. They were also tied for second among rookies in points with Bedard leading the league's first-year players with 61 points.

Once Hughes is cleared to return, he's expected to be a crucial part of the Devils' plans to return to the playoffs. Hughes, who was the fourth pick of the 2021 NHL Draft, spent two years developing at the University of Michigan, which also produced his brother Quinn Hughes, the Vancouver Canucks captain who is also the reigning Norris Trophy winner for the NHL's best defenseman.

Hughes left Michigan after two seasons and signed his entry-level contract with the Devils. It allowed him to join his brother and Devils alternate captain, Jack, for the team's playoff run during the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Devils won 52 games during the 2022-23 season and advanced to the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. They opened with a first-round victory over the rival New York Rangers in seven games before losing in the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Last season saw the Devils struggle to find consistency and miss the playoffs. It led to them parting ways with head coach Lindy Ruff and hiring interim coach Travis Green before they then hired former Toronto Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe in late May.