New Jersey Devils sign top prospect Luke Hughes

The final Hughes brother has finally inked an NHL contract.

The New Jersey Devils have signed Luke Hughes to a three-year entry-level contract and will join the team immediately ahead of the regular season stretch run.

Hughes’ NCAA career finished on Thursday with the University of Michigan’s 5-2 loss to Quinnipiac in the Frozen Four semifinal. The 19-year-old set a career-high 48 points, tying Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson for the defensemen scoring lead. Hughes scored 17 goals and 39 points with Michigan a year ago in a year that saw him win Big 10 championship and rookie of the year honors. He also finished as a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA’s top player.

Drafted fourth overall in 2021, Hughes quickly became one of the best defensive prospects in the game. His two-way play brought back memories of his older brother, Quinn Hughes, during his days with Michigan before joining the Vancouver Canucks. Before going to college, Hughes took a similar route as his brothers by playing for the United States National Team Development Program, recording 62 points in 86 games over two seasons.

The Devils sit second in the Metropolitan Division, just one point behind Carolina for the division lead. They also have one of the best prospect pools in the NHL, with Hughes leading a group that also includes Seamus Casey, Simon Nemec, Arseni Gritsyuk and Alexander Holtz. Hughes will give the Devils an immediate boost for the playoffs, making an already strong team stronger.

Add in star forward Jack Hughes, and the team looks to be in good shape.

Scouts love what they’ve seen from the young blueliner, with most praising the way he controls power plays and finds his teammates in open space.

“There might not be a better puck-mover outside of the NHL,” a scout said. “He’s just so intelligent, so quick, so hard to take the puck off of. The NHL’s a totally different animal, but he’s going to be good.”