New Jersey Devils’ Jack Hughes week-to-week with upper-body injury

New Jersey Devils head coach Lindy Ruff announced Thursday that Jack Hughes will not play against the Seattle Kraken and is considered week to week with an upper-body injury. 

The injury is believed to have been sustained in the Devils’ 5-4 overtime win over the Vancouver Canucks; he logged 21:44 of ice time and scored two goals and picked up an assist on the overtime winner. Hughes missed practice the following morning and was nursing ‘upper body soreness’.

Hughes has tallied a team-leading 35 goals, while also picking up 32 assists for 67 points in 50 games this season. He is currently in the midst of a career-high season. 

The 21-year-old has unfortunately dealt with a list of injuries throughout his career so far that have forced him not to be able to play out a full 82-game season. Last season, Hughes played in 49 games while dealing with a shoulder issue back in October 2021 and a season-ending knee injury he suffered in April on a hit from Islanders forward Oliver Wahlstrom. The injury was later diagnosed as a low-grade MCL sprain. Hughes is currently in year one of his eight-year $64 million extension he signed with the Devils in 2021; the contract carries an $8 million cap hit.  

Additionally, the Devils also announced that defenseman Brendan Smith will be out of the lineup and is considered day-to-day. Defenseman Kevin Bahl will draw into the lineup for him, while Alexander Holtz will be slotted into the forward group.