For the third time in three seasons, Jack Hughes will miss a significant amount of time due to injury. The forward was injured Tuesday night against the Seattle Kraken and did not return. New Jersey announced Hughes has a dislocated left shoulder that will not require surgery. He will be re-evaluated next week and placed on injured reserve today.
#NEWS: Jack Hughes suffered a dislocation of his left shoulder and will not require surgery. He has begun physical therapy.
He will be re-evaluated next week. https://t.co/uf1RIBX8ZU
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) October 21, 2021
Jack Hughes Out Again With Injury
The Devils said after the game, that Hughes was listed day to day and would be re-evaluated on Wednesday. Well, the new diagnosis is not good. Hughes was injured late in the first period against the Kraken. He entered the zone with the puck and skated into the corner. He was met by Seattle defenceman Jeremy Lauzon and as Hughes pulled up he was hit into the end boards falling hard to the ground. As Hughes fell to the ground he fell on his shoulder. A pile of players gathered around Hughes before he got favouring his shoulder and collarbone area. Hughes skated to the bench and went down the tunnel. When the second period began, Hughes did not return and the team later stated he was not going to return.
In 7:42 of action, Hughes had already recorded an assist on the Devils second goal of the game. Hughes has three points on the season, two goals and one assist.
Going Forward
This is a big injury to the Devils as they lose their second-line centre. Not only that he is a dynamic playmaker that is only getting better. Even though it was a game and a quarter, Hughes looked more confident out there with the puck. In addition, Hughes was ready to take the next step in his career entering his third season. Something that is concerning for the Devils is how injury-prone this young player is in just his third NHL season. That is a product of him being on the small size. He still needs to add more man weight to his body to play against the bigger players in the league.
The Devils will look to move Dawson Mercer up in the lineup. Mercer has shown he can handle the NHL game. During practice on Tuesday, Michael McLeod filled in on the Hughes line between Yegor Sharangovich and Janne Kuokkanen.
The Devils are hoping this is not a long-term injury for Hughes after being re-evaluated next week.
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