.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 definitely require between six to eight full weeks to recuperate coming from a shoulder trauma he endured previously this month, the staff said Thursday.Hughes suffered a nigh side shoulder accident during offseason instruction. After being actually examined due to the Devils' medical staff, it was actually identified he will certainly not need surgery and also it might take much more than 6 weeks for him to recover.That timeline suggests Hughes would skip the Devils' 7 preseason video games as well as their season-opening video games on Oct. 4 and also Oct. 5 versus the Buffalo Sabres in Prague, Czechia. The earliest he can come back will be the week of Oct. twenty, which indicates the Devils will have currently played eight regular-season games.Losing Hughes for even a short period comes after he utilized his novice campaign to bolster why he is actually looked at among the activity's brightest youthful stars. Hughes finished final season along with six goals and 47 factors while likewise being among five Devils to play in every 82 games.What Hughes completed as a novice caused him ending up 3rd in Calder Prize ballot responsible for the resulting champion, Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, and also Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber.Hughes and also Faber were the only novice defensemen who participated in all 82 games final season. They were actually also matched for second amongst rookies in aspects along with Bedard leading the league's first-year gamers with 61 points.Once Hughes is actually cleared to return, he's expected to become an important component of the Devils' plannings to go back to the playoffs. Hughes, who was the 4th selection of the 2021 NHL Draught, devoted pair of years establishing at the University of Michigan, which additionally produced his brother Quinn Hughes, the Vancouver Canucks leader that is additionally the ruling Norris Trophy champion for the NHL's ideal defenseman.Hughes left behind Michigan after 2 periods and also signed his entry-level contract with the Devils. It enabled him to join his brother and Evil ones alternating leader, Jack, for the team's playoff operate throughout the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.The Devils gained 52 games during the course of the 2022-23 time and also evolved to the playoffs for the very first time in four periods. They opened along with a first-round victory over the competing The big apple Rangers in 7 games prior to shedding in the second around versus the Carolina Hurricanes.Last season saw the Devils problem to find uniformity and also skip the playoffs. It led to all of them parting methods with head trainer Lindy Ruff and also hiring interim instructor Travis Green prior to they at that point chose previous Toronto Maple Leafs trainer Sheldon Keefe in old May.