.Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporterSep 12, 2024, 02:13 PM ETCloseRyan S. Clark is an NHL media reporter for ESPN.New Shirt Devils defenseman Luke Hughes will certainly need to have in between six to eight full weeks to bounce back coming from a shoulder personal injury he experienced earlier this month, the group claimed Thursday.Hughes went through a remaining shoulder accident in the course of offseason instruction. After being actually reviewed due to the Devils' clinical staff, it was calculated he will certainly not require surgical procedure and also it can take greater than 6 weeks for him to recover.That timetable implies Hughes will 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 might come back will be actually the full week of Oct. 20, which implies the Devils would possess presently participated in eight regular-season games.Losing Hughes for even a quick period happens after he utilized his rookie initiative to enhance why he is actually considered one of the video game's brightest younger celebrities. Hughes ended up final time along with six objectives and also 47 aspects while likewise being among 5 Devils to play with all 82 games.What Hughes completed as a newbie led to him ending up third in Calder Prize ballot behind the possible winner, Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, as well as Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber.Hughes and Faber were actually the only rookie defensemen who participated in all 82 video games final time. They were actually also tied for 2nd amongst novices in points with Bedard leading the game's first-year players with 61 points.Once Hughes is actually cleared to return, he is actually expected to be a critical aspect of the Devils' strategies to come back to the playoffs. Hughes, that was actually the fourth pick of the 2021 NHL Draft, devoted two years establishing at the College of Michigan, which also made his bro Quinn Hughes, the Vancouver Canucks leader that is likewise the ruling Norris Trophy champion for the NHL's ideal defenseman.Hughes left behind Michigan after two seasons and also signed his entry-level contract along with the Devils. It permitted him to join his bro and also Evil ones alternative captain, Port, for the staff's playoff operate in the course of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.The Devils won 52 games in the course of the 2022-23 time and accelerated to the playoffs for the first time in 4 seasons. They opened with a first-round success over the rival New york city Rangers in 7 video games prior to shedding in the 2nd sphere versus the Carolina Hurricanes.Last time found the Devils struggle to find uniformity and skip the playoffs. It resulted in all of them parting techniques along with head coach Lindy Ruff and also hiring acting train Travis Veggie before they then hired past Toronto Maple Leafs train Sheldon Keefe in old May.