The New Jersey Devils made an abrupt announcement on Thursday morning, revealing that defenseman Luke Hughes will miss the Devils’ final four games of the campaign to undergo a procedure and begin offseason rehab and recovery early.

#NEWS: The New Jersey Devils have shut down D Luke Hughes to undergo a procedure and get a head start on rehab for the off-season. pic.twitter.com/YeZJcVMo1j

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) April 9, 2026

Hughes has been a major contributor to the Devils’ blue line this season, after signing a seven-year, $63 million extension in October. This also marks the third consecutive season that he has crossed the 30-point threshold. 

Hughes stepped into a larger role in New Jersey in 2025-26, from playing on the top pairing after countless injuries to earning more power-play minutes, and he’s shown improvement despite stretches of inconsistency.

He is currently tied with Dougie Hamilton for the most points among Devils defensemen (35), but ranks first in assists (29). In addition, Hughes leads all Devils’ blueliners in ice time, averaging 23:00, and points per 60 minutes at 1.34.

Unfortunately, Hughes has dealt with injuries all season. At the end of January, he suffered a dislocated shoulder against the Calgary Flames and was placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). He opted not to have surgery at the time, instead focusing strictly on rehab. However, it’s been less than a year since his last surgery, after a shoulder injury sustained in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In his absence, Dennis Cholowski will likely slot into the lineup, and Simon Nemec will move to the first power-play unit. Hopefully, Hughes will make a full recovery during the offseason and be ready to join the team at the start of the 2026-27 season.

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