New Jersey Devils fans can breathe a sigh of relief as superstar forward Jack Hughes has avoided the worst-case scenario regarding the upper-body injury he suffered Friday night, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
"Nothing official at this time," Friedman said. "But the news does appear positive in the sense that Hughes and the Devils and the NHL and fans have avoided a worst-case scenario."
In the first period of Friday's game against the St. Louis Blues, Hughes appeared to lose his balance and crashed hard into the boards. He did not return to the game.
Devils head coach Lindy Ruff said following the game that the 22-year-old would be re-evaluated on Saturday, and though there's still no official update or timeline, according to Friedman it's not as bad as it could have been.
"He will miss time, I think everybody understands that," Friedman said. "But again, it does appear as if the worst-case scenario here has been avoided."
Hughes has been sensational for the Devils this season, scoring five goals and leading the league in points with 20. He's also been a major factor for the team's league-leading power play, contributing 12 points on the man advantage.
He had the best year of his career in the 2022-23 season, finishing with 43 goals and 99 points as the Devils made the leap to Cup contender.
The Devils currently sit second in the Metropolitan division with a 6-3-1 record and 13 points.
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