NEWARK, N.J. — Jack Hughes will be out week to week for the New Jersey Devils because of an upper-body injury, coach Lindy Ruff said Thursday.
“He’s a young guy and that’s going to help him with this,” Ruff said. “I think it’s going to be on the shorter end of [the timeframe].”
Hughes missed some shifts in a 5-4 overtime win against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday, but was on the ice in the third period and had an assist on Jesper Bratt‘s overtime winner. The 21-year-old center also had two goals in 21:44 of ice time.
He did not practice Tuesday because of upper-body soreness. He was on the ice for practice Wednesday, but left early.
Ruff said Hughes did not re-aggravate his injury by practicing Wednesday.
“Just it’s not right,” Ruff said. “It’s going to need a little time.”
Hughes is third in the NHL in goals (35) and ninth in points (67) in 50 games. His 17 goals since Dec. 30 lead the NHL and his 28 points are tied for first in that span.
He will miss his first game of the season Thursday, when the Devils play the Seattle Kraken at Prudential Center (7 p.m. ET; MSG, ROOT-NW, ESPN+, SN NOW).
Alexander Holtz will replace Hughes in the lineup and Dawson Mercer will move from wing to center.
“I think it’s going to be a little bit more ice time for different individuals,” Ruff said. “When somebody goes down, we really have the next man up. we lost [Ondrej] Palat for a long period of time. I know we’re probably talking a little bit different player, but every team has to deal with key injuries, key injuries to key players, and other players have to step in and have the ability to provide what Jack was bringing.”
Ruff also said defenseman Brendan Smith won’t play against Seattle and is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
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