The New Jersey Devils might all of a sudden have new plans ahead of Friday’s trade deadline. Star centre Jack Hughes crashed hard into the boards last night and he does have an injury of some kind. Furthermore, he has left the team in the middle of their current road trip, a sign somethings up and it is unlikely he plays in the club’s next game, Tuesday versus the Dallas Stars.
Jack Hughes Injury Details Still Unknown
There has been little to no specifics on the injury, but returning home from a road trip isn’t good. Head coach Sheldon Keefe did suggest after the game that it wasn’t good at that point. So, perhaps the organization is still trying to find out the extent of the injury. The worst thing about potentially serious injuries this time of year is the unknown impact. With the trade deadline just days away, New Jersey needs answers if they can possibly figure out a way to replace Hughes’ if need be.
What Does this Potential Mean in New Jersey
Jack Hughes is the leader of the club and a major injury for him could be disastrous for the club come playoffs . Offensively, he has a two-point lead with 70 over Jesper Bratt. He is by far the Devils best offensive player. Furthermore, he even leads the team in ice time with nearly 21 minutes a game, among everyone, defence and forwards.
With the star’s status suddenly up-in-the-air, the focus shifts to Friday’s trade deadline. Will New Jersey need to make a move to add some goal-scoring? The longer we go with a timetable on Hughes’ injury, the more pressure mounts on general manager Tom Fitzgerald. The Devils are just okay in producing offence on the year. They rank 14th at 2.98 goals-for-per-game. Fortunately, they have been stingy defensively at 2.47 goals against. (That ranks them second.) If they need help scoring, those players are out there, but come at a premier. Brock Boeser and Jordan Kyrou come to mind, but that will be a huge (now) last minute decision for GM Fitzgerald. Hope is the Jack Hughes injury turns out to be not a big deal.
Main Photo Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
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