Hughes will have shoulder surgery Wednesday and miss the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign.
Hughes and the Devils were running out of time to make the postseason, so the decision for the world-class center to have surgery likely won't have any impact on the team's playoff prospects anyway. Instead, Hughes will get a head start on his recovery for the 2024-25 campaign by missing the last four games of the current season. The 22-year-old Florida native ends the year having racked up 27 goals and 47 helpers, including 31 power-play points. Shane Bowers should see an uptick in opportunities with Hughes on the shelf.