.Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporterSep 12, 2024, 02:13 PM ETCloseRyan S. Clark is an NHL media reporter for ESPN.New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes are going to need to have between six to 8 full weeks to recoup coming from a shoulder trauma he experienced earlier this month, the team claimed Thursday.Hughes endured a left shoulder accident throughout offseason instruction. After being actually evaluated by the Devils' health care personnel, it was actually established he will certainly not demand surgical procedure and also it might take more than six weeks for him to recover.That timeline suggests Hughes would certainly overlook the Devils' seven preseason games as well as their season-opening activities on Oct. 4 and also Oct. 5 versus the Buffalo Grass Sabres in Prague, Czechia. The earliest he could come back would be the week of Oct. 20, which suggests the Devils would have presently participated in eight regular-season games.Losing Hughes for even a brief time frame happens after he used his newbie project to bolster why he is actually taken into consideration some of the game's brightest younger superstars. Hughes finished last period with six objectives as well as 47 points while also being just one of five Adversaries to play in all 82 games.What Hughes achieved as a rookie triggered him completing third in Calder Trophy voting behind the eventual champion, Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, and also Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber.Hughes as well as Faber were the only novice defensemen that played all 82 video games final time. They were actually likewise matched for second one of novices in aspects along with Bedard leading the game's first-year gamers with 61 points.Once Hughes is actually removed to return, he is actually anticipated to become a critical aspect of the Devils' programs to return to the playoffs. Hughes, that was actually the fourth pick of the 2021 NHL Draft, spent two years creating at the University of Michigan, which additionally produced his bro Quinn Hughes, the Vancouver Canucks captain who is actually also the reigning Norris Trophy champion for the NHL's best defenseman.Hughes left Michigan after pair of seasons and also signed his entry-level contract with the Devils. It enabled him to join his bro as well as Devils alternating captain, Jack, for the crew's playoff operate during the course of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.The Devils won 52 activities throughout the 2022-23 time as well as accelerated to the playoffs for the very first time in 4 times. They opened up along with a first-round victory over the competing New York Rangers in 7 games prior to shedding in the second round versus the Carolina Hurricanes.Last time found the Devils battle to discover consistency as well as miss out on the playoffs. It caused all of them parting techniques along with head instructor Lindy Ruff and also hiring interim trainer Travis Green prior to they at that point employed past Toronto Walnut Leafs trainer Sheldon Keefe in late Might.