Luke Hughes Leaning Into His Strengths To Become An Elite Defenseman

Hughes has always been a great skater, which has typically helped him offensively. According to NHL Edge, his 30 bursts in the 20-22 miles per hour range are tied for the sixth-most among defensemen in the NHL. He is not only fast but also accelerates and joins plays in a hurry. 

This season, he’s leaning into his speed to impact the games defensively. The play in overtime against Schaefer is a prime example, as he chases down the Islanders defenseman and breaks up the scoring chance. It’s also become a common occurrence for Hughes, where he’ll close in on the skater with the puck and either break up a rush chance or a shot in the slot. 

Moreover, it allows Hughes to play in the right position or, more accurately, circle back into position in the defensive zone. It’s something Keefe has preached to the defense throughout the season, and noticed during the hot streak. “I think that the guys away from the point of contact or away from the puck have worked to get back to position and have been more disciplined to be in position so that if something happens, if a puck gets through, somebody's there to clean it up,” Keefe noted after the Oct. 24 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. 

While Hughes is an aggressive defenseman, often joining the play on offense, he has the speed to make up for it on the defensive end, and it’s reflected in his 1.4 defensive point shares, which are second-most on the Devils behind only Brett Pesce.

Speaking of Pesce, another factor is the improvements from Hughes. Young defensemen who are learning the position but have the skill offensively need a veteran on their pair to both cancel out their mistakes and teach them firsthand. Pesce has done that in the past, and it’s paying off this season. 

It’s also a reminder that Hughes needed time to learn the position. Defensemen typically need NHL action and games to develop. Hughes is 23 and closing in on 250 games (he’s nine away, following the game against the Maple Leafs). 

Along with the speed is the puck-handling ability, a quality that turns defense into offense. It’s something many defensemen were taught at the development level, where possession and the ability to move the puck out of the defensive zone and into the offensive zone are prominent in Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Schaefer’s play. The Devils' young defenseman has focused on his puck handling to help the defense and offense. 

“He's controlling the pace, he's controlling the puck, and he wants the puck on his tape,” Connor Hellebuyck stated after the game against the Blues when asked about Hughes and his defensive play. “Guys like that, they have a way of really pushing the other team back,” Hellebuyck added. When Hughes is on the ice, the opponent is on their heels and can’t forecheck the way they typically would, knowing the pressure the defenseman can generate the other way. 

What about his play on the offensive end? His career-high for goals came in his first full season in the NHL, scoring nine in 2023-24. Hughes has six goals and 11 points through 18 games. It’s a credit to his willingness to shoot and take on a more aggressive mindset in the offensive zone. 

Hughes won’t be in the Norris Trophy conversation. Likewise, he’s not one of the handful of game-changing generational defensemen in the NHL. However, the best teams in the NHL often have an elite number-one defenseman. The Devils look like they found their answer in Hughes.