.Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporterSep 12, 2024, 02:13 PM ETCloseRyan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN.New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes will need in between six to 8 full weeks to recoup from a shoulder personal injury he suffered earlier this month, the team pointed out Thursday.Hughes suffered a nigh side shoulder injury in the course of offseason instruction. After being actually assessed by the Devils' clinical staff, it was established he would certainly not need surgery which it can take much more than six weeks for him to recover.That timeline means Hughes will miss out on the Devils' 7 preseason activities and also their season-opening activities on Oct. 4 and also Oct. 5 versus the Buffalo Sabres in Prague, Czechia. The earliest he can return would be the full week of Oct. twenty, which means the Devils would certainly possess actually played 8 regular-season games.Losing Hughes for also a brief duration comes after he utilized his newbie campaign to reinforce why he is actually taken into consideration one of the activity's brightest youthful superstars. Hughes ended up final period with six objectives as well as 47 points while additionally being just one of 5 Evil ones to play in all 82 games.What Hughes completed as a rookie resulted in him completing third in Calder Prize voting responsible for the resulting winner, Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, as well as Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber.Hughes and also Faber were the only rookie defensemen that participated in all 82 video games last period. They were likewise tied for 2nd among novices in factors with Bedard leading the organization's first-year players with 61 points.Once Hughes is gotten rid of to come back, he's assumed to be a critical aspect of the Devils' plannings to return to the playoffs. Hughes, that was actually the fourth selection of the 2021 NHL Draft, spent pair of years building at the Educational institution of Michigan, which additionally produced his sibling Quinn Hughes, the Vancouver Canucks captain who is additionally the reigning Norris Trophy victor for the NHL's greatest defenseman.Hughes left behind Michigan after pair of periods and also signed his entry-level agreement along with the Devils. It allowed him to join his brother and Evil ones alternative leader, Jack, for the group's playoff run throughout the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.The Devils won 52 activities in the course of the 2022-23 time as well as progressed to the playoffs for the very first time in four periods. They opened along with a first-round success over the rivalrous New york city Rangers in 7 activities just before dropping in the second sphere against the Carolina Hurricanes.Last time saw the Devils struggle to discover uniformity and also miss the playoffs. It caused all of them parting techniques along with head instructor Lindy Ruff as well as working with acting train Travis Eco-friendly just before they at that point chose past Toronto Walnut Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe in late May.