The New Jersey Devils announced Thursday that defenseman Luke Hughes will miss the final four games of the regular season to undergo a "procedure" and begin an early rehabilitation process for the 2026–27 campaign.
#NEWS: The New Jersey Devils have shut down D Luke Hughes to undergo a procedure and get a head start on rehab for the off-season. pic.twitter.com/YeZJcVMo1j
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) April 9, 2026
The decision to shut down the 22-year-old blueliner comes just two days after the Devils were officially eliminated from playoff contention following a 5–1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
The team clarified that the move is designed to give Hughes a head start on his off-season recovery, ensuring he is "100 percent" for training camp in September. Hughes played 24:09 in Tuesday's loss to Philadelphia, finishing as a minus-1 with two shots on goal.
This season, Hughes has tallied 35 points in 68 games. Despite the dip in offensive production, Hughes led the Devils in average ice time (23:01) and remained the primary quarterback for the power play, where he recorded 13 of his 35 points.
The procedure likely rules Hughes out of the 2026 IIHF World Championship, which begins on May 15 in Switzerland, where he was expected to be a cornerstone for Team USA. Hughes had just completed the first season of a seven-year, $63 million contract ($9M AAV) signed last summer.