.Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporterSep 12, 2024, 02:13 PM ETCloseRyan S. Clark is actually an NHL media reporter for ESPN.New Shirt Devils defenseman Luke Hughes are going to need in between six to eight weeks to bounce back coming from a shoulder accident he experienced earlier this month, the team stated Thursday.Hughes experienced a nigh side shoulder personal injury during the course of offseason instruction. After being actually analyzed due to the Devils' clinical personnel, it was identified he will certainly not need surgery and also it might take more than 6 weeks for him to recover.That timetable indicates Hughes would certainly skip the Devils' 7 preseason games as well as their season-opening activities on Oct. 4 as well as Oct. 5 versus the Buffalo Sabres in Prague, Czechia. The earliest he could return would be actually the week of Oct. 20, which indicates the Devils would possess presently played eight regular-season games.Losing Hughes for even a short period happens after he used his rookie project to improve why he's considered among the game's brightest young stars. Hughes ended up final season with 6 objectives as well as 47 aspects while also being among 5 Adversaries to play with all 82 games.What Hughes completed as a novice brought about him ending up third in Calder Trophy ballot responsible for the resulting champion, Chicago Blackhawks facility Connor Bedard, and also Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber.Hughes as well as Faber were actually the only newbie defensemen that participated in all 82 games final season. They were actually also matched for 2nd among newbies in factors along with Bedard leading the league's first-year players with 61 points.Once Hughes is removed to return, he is actually assumed to be a critical portion of the Devils' strategies to return to the playoffs. Hughes, that was actually the 4th pick of the 2021 NHL Draught, devoted 2 years establishing at the Educational institution of Michigan, which also made his sibling Quinn Hughes, the Vancouver Canucks captain that is likewise the ruling Norris Trophy winner for the NHL's greatest defenseman.Hughes left behind Michigan after 2 periods and also signed his entry-level arrangement with the Devils. It permitted him to join his bro as well as Adversaries alternate captain, Port, for the staff's playoff run in the course of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.The Devils won 52 activities in the course of the 2022-23 season and accelerated to the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. They opened with a first-round triumph over the rivalrous New york city Rangers in 7 video games before dropping in the 2nd around against the Carolina Hurricanes.Last time viewed the Devils struggle to find congruity as well as skip the playoffs. It led to them parting means along with crown instructor Lindy Ruff and hiring acting trainer Travis Eco-friendly prior to they after that tapped the services of previous Toronto Maple Leafs trainer Sheldon Keefe in old May.