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How Long Is Luke Hughes Expected To Be Sidelined?

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Swati Bhatia | Last updated Jan 22, 2026 11:51 AM ET

Luke Hughes (Image Credits: Imagn)

The New Jersey Devils have been hit with a major injury setback as defenseman Luke Hughes has been ruled out for an extended period after suffering a shoulder injury earlier this week. While the team is still pushing to stay in the playoff race, losing one of their most important blue line players makes that task much harder.

The injury occurred during Monday night’s game against Calgary Flames. Hughes was chasing the puck out of the defensive zone when Flames forward Justin Kirkland grabbed his jersey from behind. He was clearly in discomfort, went straight to the bench, and did not return.

After the game, head coach Sheldon Keefe said Hughes was still being evaluated and that the team was preparing for the possibility that he would miss time. That concern was confirmed on Wednesday, when the Devils officially placed Hughes on long-term injured reserve.

Luke Hughes To Not Undergo Surgery

Luke Hughes (Image Credits: Imagn)

By placing him on long-term IR, the Devils confirmed that Hughes will miss at least 10 games and a minimum of 24 days. In practical terms, this means he will be sidelined through the Olympic break, with his return date still uncertain beyond that point. For now, there is no exact timeline for when he will be back in the lineup.

The good news for New Jersey is that Hughes is not expected to undergo surgery at this stage. Instead, the plan is to manage the injury through rest and rehabilitation during the break. Hughes leads the Devils’ defensemen in scoring, with 26 points in 49 games.

After consulting with doctors, Luke Hughes will not get surgery for now and instead rehab his upper body injury.

The Devils placed Hughes on LTIR today; he’s expected to be sidelined through the Olympic break then TBD.
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) January 22, 2026

Meanwhile, the team has recalled defenseman Colton White from the Utica Comets to help cover the loss on the blue line.

New Jersey has won four of its last five games, but they still sit four points outside a playoff spot. With Luke Hughes sidelined for the foreseeable future, the Devils will need others to step up if they want to stay in the hunt.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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