.Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporterSep 12, 2024, 02:13 PM ETCloseRyan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN.New Jacket Devils defenseman Luke Hughes will certainly require between six to eight full weeks to bounce back coming from a shoulder injury he experienced earlier this month, the crew pointed out Thursday.Hughes suffered a left side shoulder accident during offseason training. After being evaluated by the Devils' health care team, it was determined he would certainly not demand surgery and that it could possibly take greater than six weeks for him to recover.That timeline indicates Hughes would certainly miss the Devils' 7 preseason games and also their season-opening video games on Oct. 4 as well as Oct. 5 versus the Buffalo Grass Sabres in Prague, Czechia. The earliest he can come back would be the full week of Oct. 20, which means the Devils would certainly possess actually played eight regular-season games.Losing Hughes for also a brief duration comes after he utilized his novice initiative to strengthen why he's thought about among the activity's brightest younger superstars. Hughes ended up final season along with 6 goals as well as 47 aspects while likewise being among 5 Adversaries to play in all 82 games.What Hughes performed as a novice brought about him finishing third in Calder Prize ballot behind the resulting victor, Chicago Blackhawks facility Connor Bedard, and also Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber.Hughes and also Faber were the only novice defensemen who participated in all 82 games last season. They were also tied for second amongst newbies in aspects along with Bedard leading the game's first-year players along with 61 points.Once Hughes is gotten rid of to come back, he is actually anticipated to be a crucial portion of the Devils' plannings to go back to the playoffs. Hughes, who was actually the fourth pick of the 2021 NHL Draught, invested 2 years building at the University of Michigan, which also made his sibling Quinn Hughes, the Vancouver Canucks captain who is actually additionally the reigning Norris Trophy winner for the NHL's ideal defenseman.Hughes left behind Michigan after 2 seasons and also signed his entry-level arrangement along with the Devils. It enabled him to join his sibling and also Adversaries alternate leader, Jack, for the crew's playoff run in the course of the 2023 Stanley Mug playoffs.The Devils gained 52 activities during the 2022-23 time and evolved to the playoffs for the first time in 4 periods. They opened along with a first-round victory over the rivalrous New york city Rangers in seven games prior to shedding in the second round versus the Carolina Hurricanes.Last period observed the Devils battle to locate consistency as well as skip the playoffs. It resulted in all of them parting ways with crown coach Lindy Ruff as well as hiring interim train Travis Veggie before they then hired former Toronto Maple Leafs trainer Sheldon Keefe in late Might.