.Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporterSep 12, 2024, 02:13 PM ETCloseRyan S. Clark is an NHL press reporter for ESPN.New Shirt Devils defenseman Luke Hughes are going to need to have between six to 8 weeks to recuperate from a shoulder trauma he endured previously this month, the team stated Thursday.Hughes suffered a nigh side shoulder accident during the course of offseason instruction. After being evaluated due to the Devils' clinical workers, it was identified he would not require surgical procedure which it might take greater than six full weeks for him to recover.That timeline means Hughes would overlook the Devils' seven preseason games and also their season-opening activities on Oct. 4 and Oct. 5 against the Buffalo Grass Sabres in Prague, Czechia. The earliest he could return will be actually the full week of Oct. twenty, which suggests the Devils would certainly have actually played 8 regular-season games.Losing Hughes for also a quick period comes after he used his novice project to bolster why he's looked at one of the activity's brightest youthful stars. Hughes completed last time along with 6 goals as well as 47 points while additionally being just one of five Evil ones to play with all 82 games.What Hughes completed as a rookie caused him completing third in Calder Prize voting behind the resulting victor, Chicago Blackhawks facility Connor Bedard, as well as Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber.Hughes and also Faber were the only newbie defensemen that played all 82 activities final season. They were additionally tied for second among newbies in aspects along with Bedard leading the league's first-year gamers with 61 points.Once Hughes is actually gotten rid of to come back, he is actually anticipated to be a critical aspect of the Devils' plannings to come back to the playoffs. Hughes, that was the fourth pick of the 2021 NHL Draft, invested 2 years creating at the University of Michigan, which likewise generated his bro Quinn Hughes, the Vancouver Canucks captain who is actually likewise the ruling Norris Trophy winner for the NHL's greatest defenseman.Hughes left Michigan after pair of seasons as well as authorized his entry-level agreement along with the Devils. It enabled him to join his brother and also Evil ones alternative captain, Jack, for the group's playoff operate during the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.The Devils succeeded 52 activities during the course of the 2022-23 season as well as accelerated to the playoffs for the first time in 4 periods. They opened up along with a first-round success over the rival New york city Rangers in seven games before shedding in the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes.Last period observed the Devils problem to locate consistency and miss out on the playoffs. It led to all of them parting methods along with head instructor Lindy Ruff and tapping the services of interim train Travis Veggie before they then tapped the services of previous Toronto Walnut Leafs instructor Sheldon Keefe in late Might.