Luke Hughes Returns to Practice, Recovery Progressing
On Wednesday afternoon, New Jersey Devils fans received an encouraging update as defenseman Luke Hughes took to the ice at RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House. Hughes participated in a skills practice session, smoothly passing and receiving pucks alongside his teammates as the Devils resumed team activities.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe observed the practice from above, dividing forwards and defensemen into separate groups. Notably, Hughes remained on the ice for the entirety of the on-ice session, a positive sign of his recovery.
Keefe’s Assessment of Hughes’ Condition
“He looks good,” Keefe commented. “He was able to skate with the group today, more just the skating and passing type of day, so we will just have to continue to monitor him and see where he is at. The hope is that we can ramp up as we ramp up but encouraging to see him.” This cautious optimism suggests Hughes is making steady progress, but the team is taking a measured approach to his rehabilitation.
Return Timeline and Roster Moves
Unfortunately, Luke Hughes won’t be back in the lineup immediately. Due to being on Long Term Injury Reserve, his earliest possible return date is February 28th, when the Devils face the St. Louis Blues. This means fans will have to wait a little longer to see the dynamic defenseman back in action.
In the interim, the organization has recalled defensemen Colton White and Dennis Cholowski to bolster the defensive corps. They join Brenden Dillon, Dougie Hamilton, Johnathan Kovacevic, and Brett Pesce. Meanwhile, Jonas Siegenthaler and Simon Nemec are currently representing their countries at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 in Milan.
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Keep checking back for further updates on Luke Hughes’ recovery and the New Jersey Devils’ performance throughout the season.
