Jack Hughes will be closed for the remainder of the season.
The Devils star will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery Wednesday in Colorado.
Dr. Peter Millett will perform the procedure, and Hughes is expected to make a full recovery in time for training camp next season, the Devils said in a statement.
The decision to undergo the procedure was made after Hughes had conversations with his family, representatives, the Devils coaching staff and chief medical officer Dr. Jonathan L. Glashow, the team said.
The decision comes with the Devils having just three games left in the season after Tuesday night, when New Jersey hosts the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Prudential Center.
The Devils are five points behind the Red Wings for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, and Moneypuck lists their chances — ahead of Tuesday night’s action — of making the playoffs at 0.3 to hundred.
Hughes leads the Devils in goals this season with 27 and is first in points per game with 1.19 – also ranking 13th in the NHL in that category.
His 74 points and 47 assists place him second among Devils skaters this year.
Hughes did not participate in the team’s morning skate Tuesday, and Devils head coach Travis Green told reporters that Hughes would not play against the Maple Leafs.
Green only responded at the time that it was an upper body issue and did not elaborate beyond “we’ll see” when asked if it was an upper body issue. a long-term problem.
The young Devil suffered several upper body injuries during the season and missed 16 games because of them.
Hughes missed time in November after falling into the boards, and he suffered another upper-body injury on Jan. 5 after an awkward fall into the boards that kept him out for part of that month.
Hughes moved from center to wing in February, and in an interview with NJ Advanced Media, Green didn’t say much about the forward’s injury issues this year.
“I don’t want to go into detail, to be honest,” Green told the outlet in an interview published Tuesday. “Coming back from his injury, we thought it was better to put him on the wing. The only good thing about Jack and many good strikers is that they can play on the wing or in the center. This also frees him of some defensive responsibilities right now and creates more offense. That’s probably where I feel comfortable leaving it.
Hughes has emerged as one of hockey’s great young stars and has produced three straight 25+ goal seasons, including the 2022-23 campaign where he scored 43 and led the Devils on a surprising run to the second round playoffs.
New York Post
