Luke Hughes injury: 3 ideal replacements for New Jersey Devils defenseman

New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes suffered a shoulder injury during off-season training. While the team initially feared the worst, it has been determined that the injury sustained to Hughes' left shoulder won't require surgery.

Despite that, as the team looks at the start of the NHL preseason on Sept. 22 and the 2024-25 season ahead, they face the reality that Hughes will be sidelined for six to eight weeks. This will extend through the preseason and the start of the regular season on Oct. 4.

Given that, the Devils will have to adapt. When looking at their defensive pairings on Daily FaceOff, Hughes is expected to be a second-line defender.

Three replacements for Luke Hughes on the New Jersey Devils' second line

#1. Brenden Dillon

Until Luke Hughes' injury, the expectation was that Brenden Dillon would play on the New Jersey Devils' third line. Despite that, with the latest injury to Hughes, it would make sense for New Jersey to move Dillon up to the second line to fill in for Hughes.

Dillon is fresh off a three-year stint with the Winnipeg Jets, where he remained healthy and consistently produced at a high level. In each of his three seasons, he logged 20 or more points while playing 75+ games.

#2. Simon Nemec

Last year, Simon Nemec made his NHL debut, playing 60 games for the Devils after a full year with the Utica Comets in the AHL. While he played 13 games for the Comets in the AHL, his play warranted a spot on the Devils' main roster for a large chunk of the season, where he logged 19 points in 60 games.

This year, Nemec is expected to be a mainstay of the Devils' roster, primarily competing on the team's third line. While Dillon may be the favorite to replace Luke Hughes, given his NHL experience, Nemec could get an opportunity to step up in a big way.

#3. Seamus Casey

Drafted with the 46th pick in the 2022 NHL draft, Seamus Casey spent the 2023-24 season with the University of Michigan, where he logged 45 points (seven goals, 38 assists) in 40 games before averaging a point per game with Team USA's U20 team this summer at the WJC-20.

As a talented two-way defenseman who is now 20 years old, Casey is expected to spend the 2024-25 season with the Utica Comets in the AHL. Given that, the team could look to add Casey to their roster for 25 games in Luke Hughes' absence.