.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 require between six to 8 weeks to recover coming from a shoulder injury he suffered earlier this month, the group stated Thursday.Hughes experienced a remaining shoulder injury during the course of offseason training. After being actually analyzed due to the Devils' health care workers, it was identified he would certainly not need surgical procedure and also it could possibly take more than 6 weeks for him to recover.That timeline implies Hughes will miss out on the Devils' seven preseason video games as well as their season-opening activities on Oct. 4 and also Oct. 5 versus the Buffalo Sabres in Prague, Czechia. The earliest he could return would be actually the week of Oct. twenty, which implies the Devils will have presently participated in eight regular-season games.Losing Hughes for even a short period comes after he used his newbie campaign to reinforce why he is actually thought about among the activity's brightest younger stars. Hughes finished final season with 6 targets as well as 47 aspects while also being just one of five Adversaries to play in every 82 games.What Hughes performed as a rookie triggered him finishing third in Calder Trophy ballot behind the resulting victor, Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, and also Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber.Hughes and also Faber were actually the only novice defensemen that played all 82 games last period. They were also tied for 2nd one of rookies in aspects with Bedard leading the organization's first-year players along with 61 points.Once Hughes is actually gotten rid of to come back, he is actually anticipated to be a critical portion of the Devils' strategies to come back to the playoffs. Hughes, that was the 4th choice of the 2021 NHL Draft, invested pair of years cultivating at the Educational institution of Michigan, which likewise created his sibling Quinn Hughes, the Vancouver Canucks leader that is actually likewise the reigning Norris Prize winner for the NHL's best defenseman.Hughes left Michigan after 2 periods and also signed his entry-level deal with the Devils. It enabled him to join his bro and also Devils alternate leader, Port, for the team's playoff operate throughout the 2023 Stanley Mug playoffs.The Devils gained 52 video games in the course of the 2022-23 period and progressed to the playoffs for the first time in 4 times. They opened up along with a first-round triumph over the rivalrous Nyc Rangers in seven activities prior to dropping in the second sphere against the Carolina Hurricanes.Last season saw the Devils struggle to locate uniformity and also overlook the playoffs. It brought about all of them parting ways along with crown coach Lindy Ruff and working with interim instructor Travis Green just before they then tapped the services of previous Toronto Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe in old Might.