Sheldon Keefe Provides Update on Devils Defenseman
After participating in pre-game warmups, Luke Hughes was a late scratch for the New Jersey Devils Friday night against the Winnipeg Jets.
Mar 22, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (43) plays the puck against the Ottawa Senators during the third period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn ImagesThe organization announced via social media that Hughes (lower body, precautionary) would not play.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe provided an additional update on the young defenseman after the Devils' 4-0 loss at Canada Life Centre.
"He wanted to play today, but he is not at 100 percent," Keefe told NJD.TV. "There was a good chance that playing the game today would have made it worse. With another game tomorrow and obviously more still to come, we just felt the right thing for him, and our team was to give him the night off. [...] We can call it day-to-day at this point."
The 21-year-old will be re-evaluated tomorrow.
Hughes has appeared in 64 games this season and has 38 points (six goals, 32 assists). He became the first Devils defenseman since Brian Rafalski to record consecutive 30-plus assist seasons.
New Jersey is currently without defensemen Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler and forwards Jack Hughes and Cody Glass.
The Devils will wrap up their three-game road trip against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday evening.
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