A simple tug of the jersey and it appears that Luke Hughes' season with the Devils has come to an end. Based on the post by Dr. Harjas Grewal on X, it is almost a certainty that Hughes will require surgery at some point. Perhaps they try to rehab the shoulder in hopes of a playoff bid/return. If not the sooner the better as the recovery process is in excess of five months.
Adding on to earlier post as now have video
— Dr. Harjas Grewal (@Harjas_Grewal) January 20, 2026
If Hughes is dislocating his shoulder this easily, wouldn’t surprise me if he ends up needing surgery either now or after this season https://t.co/MpGpB91E67
As a result, Colton White has been recalled to Uitca. In addition the Devils have a few extra dollars to make some very necessary roster additions. A bit of silver lining...
On A Lighter Note
The Devils have won four of their last five. Goaltending and team defense seems to be rounding out. With last night's win, NJ is just three points out of third place Pittsburgh(they do have two games in hand). Considering all of the misfortune and turmoil surrounding this club over the past few months, the playoffs are within reach. It won't be easy but if the goal scoring ever arrives, look out!
The next five games go as follows:
Friday @Vancouver
Sunday @Seattle
Tuesday vs.Winnipeg
Thursday vs.Nashville
Sat @Ottawa
Every single one of these games are winnable. A 4-1 record would be great. The minimum acceptable here should be a 3-1-1 if they plan on climbing back into the Eastern Conference playoff race.
With the team getting healthy and hopefully active in the trade market, the final 30+ games should really give us a read on the core that many have already discarded as serious contenders.