Sat Nov 22 01:20:00 UTC 2025: Summary:

New Jersey Devils star center Jack Hughes will be out for approximately eight weeks following successful finger surgery stemming from a freak accident at a team dinner. He will be re-evaluated in six weeks. This absence is a blow to the Devils, who are currently leading the Eastern Conference, and will likely force a reshuffling of the team’s center positions. The timeline suggests Hughes should be healthy to play for Team USA in the Olympics. The team President must decide if the team needs to find a replacement during his absence.

News Article:

Devils’ Jack Hughes Out 8 Weeks After Freak Injury, Surgery

NEWARK, NJ – New Jersey Devils fans received unwelcome news Saturday as the team announced star center Jack Hughes will be sidelined for an estimated eight weeks following successful surgery on a finger injured in a bizarre accident. According to a league source, the injury occurred at a team dinner in Chicago on Thursday.

Dr. Robert Hotchkiss performed the surgery in New York, and the team will re-evaluate Hughes in six weeks. The 24-year-old, who previously saw his 2024-25 season cut short due to shoulder surgery, was off to a stellar start this season, leading the Devils with 20 points in 17 games. His absence forces coach Lindy Ruff to shuffle lines, with Nico Hischier expected to move to the top-line center position and Dawson Mercer shifting to the second line.

If Hughes is out for the full eight weeks, he will miss 27 games, returning sometime in January. However, the timeline suggests he should be fit to play for Team USA in the upcoming Winter Olympics, where he is projected to be a key member of the roster.

The Devils, currently boasting the Eastern Conference’s best record at 12-4-1, face the challenge of navigating Hughes’ absence. Team president Tom Fitzgerald must decide whether to seek a trade to bolster the roster or rely on the existing team to maintain their momentum. New Jersey is already contending with a number of injuries, with Brett Pesce, Johnathan Kovacevic, Connor Brown, and Evgenii Dadonov currently on injured reserve.

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