New Jersey Devils’ 2025-26 Report Cards: Luke Hughes – The Hockey Writers – New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils’ 2025-26 season was a whirlwind of unpredictability, featuring no shortage of injuries, instability, and scoring slumps. Despite making a decent push at the very end of the season, they were unable to secure a postseason spot. Finishing the season 42-37-3, the Devils are looking to have an active offseason as they try to take another step toward becoming a serious Stanley Cup contender.

All season long, every player on the roster contributed one way or another, with some making a greater impact than others. This installment focuses on defenseman Luke Hughes, who had moments of offensive brilliance but struggled at times in the defensive zone.

2025-26 Performance

Hughes’s third full season in the NHL was an overall success. He finished 2025-26 ranking second in points among Devils’ defensemen, with six goals and 29 assists. Once again, he cemented himself as an offensive defenseman, generating scoring opportunities with his impressive speed and skill.

He kicked the season off with back-to-back two-point games in October, then rounded out the month of November with eight points. Despite a slight stall in his offensive production in December, he still made more than a few highlight-worthy plays, including scoring the game-winning goal in the Devils’ 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on New Year’s Eve.

Unfortunately, Hughes missed time after dislocating his shoulder against the Calgary Flames at the end of January, placing him on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). Afterwards, many fans showed concerns over his game, especially considering his previous history of shoulder issues. He would eventually be shut down for the last four games of the season, in order to undergo surgery and begin rehab early.

According to data from Natural Stat Trick, his defensive performance was solid. He had the lowest rate of shot attempts and goals against every 60 minutes among all Devils’ defensemen. However, there were some lapses throughout the season. He sometimes struggled in his own zone, with errant passes or high-stakes turnovers. For example, Hughes had a slight uptick in overall giveaways, but he recorded 50% more defensive zone giveaways than in 2024-25.

Nonetheless, his offensive strengths were an asset. He was on the ice for the highest rate of scoring chances for (34.05 SCF/60), paired with an expected goals percentage of 53.78. Hughes might have had a rocky 2025-26, but his playmaking abilities definitely outweighed any moments of inconsistency.

Impact for the Devils

All in all, Hughes represents the future of Devils’ defense. He signed a seven-year contract worth $63 million last October, locking in his place on New Jersey’s blue line. Now, he’s tied with Dougie Hamilton for the highest average annual value (AAV) on the team: $9 million. 

Since being drafted fourth overall by the club in 2021, he’s certainly been a memorable player. Whether he’s going coast to coast or manning the top power-play unit, Hughes has had a major impact for the Devils. 

And he remains one of the fastest defensemen in the league, with a maximum skating speed of 23.37 miles per hour (mph) in 2025-26. To put his speed into perspective, the average NHL defenseman recorded 30.1 skating bursts between 20-22 mph this season — but Hughes clocked in over three times that amount with 110.

He’s found the most success alongside veteran partner Brett Pesce, and together the two have become a dynamic duo. They excel at suppressing scoring chances, but they are also known for driving play in difficult situations. The Hughes-Pesce line had a 54.89% shots for percentage, and were on the ice for 398 shot attempts together. 

Much like most of the Devils’ roster, Hughes has dealt with countless injuries throughout his NHL career. But when he’s fully healthy, New Jersey has a top-tier defenseman at their disposal. Looking ahead to 2026-27 and beyond, the biggest question is whether or not he can remain healthy for an entire season.

Future in New Jersey

With Hughes locked in for the next six seasons, it leaves no question as to his future with the Devils. Unlike Hamilton and Nemec, his spot on the roster is a certainty, and the organization has no intentions of moving him anytime soon. 

Hughes is on the fast track to becoming the Devils’ top blueliner. Even while dealing with a nagging injury, he still played tough minutes for the Devils, averaging a career-high of 23:01 ice time per game. He’s even broken a few franchise records along the way. In November, Hughes became the fastest defenseman to reach 100 career NHL points, claiming the title previously held by Brian Rafalski. He also became the first defenseman since Rafalski to record back-to-back seasons with 30 assists.

Hughes has become a cornerstone for the Devils’ defense, but his two-way progression has made him even more of a threat on the ice. Luckily, head coach Sheldon Keefe had good news to share during locker cleanout, saying that Hughes underwent a successful procedure and has started the recovery process.

Overall Grade

Hughes had an impressive campaign even though his 2025-26 ended on a sour note, and his final grade for the season is a B. He had moments of difficulty — along with the rest of the team — but he’s proven to be a valuable asset to the Devils’ blue line. Between his rock-solid tandem with Pesce, his special teams skills, and his elite speed, Hughes will play a major role in the team’s success for years to come.

If he can stay healthy for the duration of next season, there’s no doubt that he’ll be able to achieve even greater heights.