The New Jersey Devils will open the season without one of their more important defencemen.
Luke Hughes will miss six to eight weeks with a shoulder surgery suffered during off-season training, the team announced Thursday. The Devils said in a release that the injury will not require surgery and that Hughes is in New Jersey receiving treatment from team medical staff.
Hughes is coming off an impressive rookie season in which he finished third in Calder Trophy voting. The younger brother of Quinn and Jack, Luke Hughes had nine goals and 47 points in 82 games last season.
The Devils are coming off a disappointing season in which they missed the playoffs. The club is expecting Dougie Hamilton to return after missing more of the season with injuries but also bolstered the blueline with the additions of Brett Pesce and Brenden Dillon.