Devils’ Jack Hughes leaves game against Golden Knights with injury

The New Jersey Devils might be without centerman Jack Hughes for a bit.

The 23-year-old left Sunday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights after running into Jack Eichel and crashing into the boards before getting up and aiding his right shoulder. 

New Jersey head coach Sheldon Keefe was irate with the situation and was ejected. He was given a bench minor and game misconduct for his actions towards the officials. 

While the Devils were killing a penalty trailing 2-0, Hughes broke out of the defensive zone with Nico Hischier before colliding with a back-checking Eichel, crashing into the boards below the Golden Knights’ goal line. 

Vegas held on to win the contest 2-0, while goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 22 saves for the Devils in his return to the lineup.

“Real hard to see him go down,” Keefe told reporters after the game. “There’s no update. He’s going to have to be evaluated. It didn’t look good. We’re gonna have to take our time to know the full extent of it.”

Through 62 games in 2024-25, Hughes has 27 goals and 70 points and played with Team USA alongside Eichel at the 4 Nations Face-Off. In his NHL career, he’s posted 141 goals and 210 points in 368 regular-season games. 

Jack’s injury is just the latest for the Hughes family, with older brother Quinn Hughes also suffering from injuries this season, unable to finish the Vancouver Canucks Saturday clash against the Seattle Kraken, after recently returning to the lineup in the wake of missing Team USA duties at the 4 Nations Face-Off. 

The Devils sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 72 points in 62 games. Their next game is on Tuesday as they head on the road to face the Dallas Stars as they get started in the final week before the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline. 

Without Hughes, the Devils could lean on Jesper Bratt. The with the left-winger is in the midst of a 17-goal and 68-point season in 2024-25.