When will Luke Hughes return? Devils medical staff share vital return timeline for star defenseman's shoulder injury

The New Jersey Devils have updated fans on the status of defenseman Luke Hughes. He injured his left shoulder during offseason training earlier this month.

The Devils took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and shared that Hughes will not need surgery:

"The New Jersey Devils announced today that defenseman Luke Hughes suffered a left shoulder injury earlier this month during off-season training. Upon examination by New Jersey’s medical staff, it was determined that he will not require surgery. Hughes’ recovery time is approximately six-eight weeks. He is in New Jersey for treatment and physical therapy under the guidance of the Devils’ athlete care staff."

Because of this, Hughes is likely to miss the start of the 2024-25 NHL season. He is expected to return after six to eight weeks.

Last season, Hughes was the team's leading defenseman. He played all 82 games, scoring 47 points and was a finalist for the Calder Trophy. He also has two assists in three playoff games.

Hughes' brother, Jack Hughes, who also plays for the Devils, had shoulder surgery in April, but should be ready for training camp. The team will start the season with back-to-back games against the Buffalo Sabres in Prague as part of the NHL Global Series on October 4 and 5.

Recently, Jack Hughes spoke with the media about several topics, including his new head coach and his brother, Luke Hughes.

Luke Hughes featured on NHL 25 cover with his brothers

EA Sports has announced that NHL 25 will be released on October 4. The cover will feature the Hughes brothers: Jack, Quinn and Luke. They are the first set of siblings to be on the cover of a major sports video game.

Jack Hughes was the No. 1 pick by the New Jersey Devils in 2019. His brother, Luke Hughes, joined him on the Devils after being selected fourth in 2021. Quinn Hughes, the oldest, was picked No. 7 by the Vancouver Canucks in 2018.

The Hughes brothers played against each other for the first time in an NHL game on December 5, 2023, in Vancouver. Jack Hughes said it was a dream come true to play with his brothers in the NHL. The Devils won, 6-5.

Quinn Hughes won the Norris Trophy and was named the 15th captain of the Canucks. Jack Hughes has made the All-Star team three times in a row. Luke Hughes was named to the All-Rookie team last season.

This is not the first time that EA Sports has had multiple cover athletes. The cover of NHL 23 featured Trevor Zegras and Sarah Nurse, CWHL star.