Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec Injuries Will Test New Jersey Devils Defensive Depth

Per the Devils, Hughes suffered this left shoulder injury earlier this month during off-season training. Again, if this sounds familiar, Travis Zajac, a few years back in 2017. He hurt himself right before training camp started. Zajac tore his pectoral muscle during off-season training and missed four to six months.

However, that is not the case for the Devils and Luke Hughes. According to the Devils, he will not require surgery. His treatment will be physical therapy under the guidance of the Devils’ athlete care staff. The timeline for his return is somewhere between October 24th through November 7th. New Jersey is saying early November for Hughes at the earliest.

But Hughes is not the only injury on the Devils defense corps this off-season. Two weeks ago, Simon Nemec was injured during the Olympic Qualifying Game playing Slovakia. He also hurt his left shoulder. As Full Press Hockey reported the day of the injury, he would miss and be held out of the tournament’s last game.

Nemec crashed hard into the boards in the second period of the game against Hungry. He stayed down on the ice and skated to the bench. From there, he made his way down the tunnel. The Devils held him out of the next game, where Slovakia beat Kazakhstan to qualify for the Olympics. The Devils would run more tests on his shoulder after the event.

According to reports, he has been rehabbing his left shoulder. Devils training camp opens next week, so there is time before the October 4th opener in Czechia against the Buffalo Sabres.

Boston Bruins: NHL Rumors: When Will Jeremy Swayman Sign with the Boston Bruins

New Jersey Devils: How Close Is Dawson Mercer to Signing with the New Jersey Devils?

Florida PAnthers: Bill Zito: “No Words Can Describe Winning the Stanley Cup”

Nashville Predators: Yaroslav Askarov Was Never Going to Play for the Nashville Predators

Hughes and Nemec are critical players to this Devils defense this season. Hughes was slated for the second pair. Last season, he averaged 21:28 of ice time, recording 47 points (nine goals and 38 assists). He filled in for Dougie Hamilton the previous season, who had surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle. Hamilton is back in the lineup, which bolsters the power play.

The Devils hoped Hughes would take the next step in his development this season. Now, he is sidelined with an injury, which means the Devils new revamped defense will be tested. Players like Johnathan Kovacevic, Santeri Hatakka, Daniil Misyul (if he makes the roster), or Seamus Casey (if the Devils feel he is ready) will have to step up.

New Jersey Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald added size to the Devils defense corps this offseason with Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon, Nick DeSimone, and Kovacevic. These guys were brought in to protect Nemec and Hughes and allow them to develop.

Now the Devils are in a similar position to last season, with Hamilton out of the lineup. New Jersey will see a younger player step into that role and play more minutes than he should. But the Devils have the depth to withstand injuries to their defense this season. Last year, there was no Damon Severson or Ryan Graves to step in for an injured Hamilton. At least this time, they have a veteran presence on the roster.

This is also why you trade for a number-one goalie like Jacob Markstrom. If there are injuries on defense, there is a guy who can handle the workload and keep you in games. Not to mention having a defense corps that can move people out of those high-danger areas.

The New Jersey Devils expect to be a playoff team. Injuries come with the territory. They are better now than later in the season during the stretch run to the playoffs. However, things got a little more interesting as that new-look defense will be tested early with injuries to Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec.