The reeling Devils were dealt a devastating blow on Wednesday.
The team announced that Jack Hughes underwent successful shoulder surgery that will sideline him for the rest of the season, with New Jersey announcing that their star center is expected to be ready for the start of training camp for the 2025-26 campaign.
Hughes was tripped up from behind against the Golden Knights and crashed hard into the boards, and immediately came off the ice. It is the second season in a row that he will miss significant time due to a shoulder injury.
It is also the second straight season that the Devils have been ravaged by injuries, as Hughes, Dougie Hamilton, and Jonas Siegenthaler were among the players to miss extended time last year, and now, Luke Hughes, his brother Jack, Siegenthaler, and goaltender Jacob Markstrom are among those to miss chunks of time, while Nico Hischier missed a few games as well with an upper body injury.
The injury to Hughes comes at a brutal time for the Devils, as they are fighting to keep their hold on third place in the Metro and a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The 23-year-old leads the team with 27 goals and has 70 points on the season, the third year in a row he logged at least 70 points. It will also be the second straight season that he missed 20 games.
New Jersey is currently four points ahead of the Blue Jackets in the Metro, though Columbus has two games in hand.