NEWARK, N.J. -- Luke Hughes was not on the ice for the New Jersey Devils during the opening day of training camp at Prudential Center on Thursday.
The 22-year-old defenseman remains a restricted free agent after completing the final season on his three-year, entry-level contract.
"This is part of the process," New Jersey general manager Tom Fitzgerald said on Thursday. "We're grinding through this together and presenting both sides' stories and where we want to go with this, respecting each other's opinions.
"Unfortunately, we're disappointed he's not here. I know he's disappointed he's not here. I was texting with him [Wednesday], knowing that we will get through this at some point. We just don't know when that point is."
On July 2, Fitzgerald reiterated on three occasions that re-signing Hughes was his "No. 1 priority."
He was reminded of that statement on Thursday.
"We will be signing him," he said. "I said it earlier ... the top priority is signing Luke Hughes to a long-term deal. That's our goal. It hasn't changed."
Luke's brother, center Jack Hughes, is entering the fourth season of an eight-year, $64 million contract ($8 million average annual value) he signed with the Devils on Nov. 30, 2021. Defenseman Quinn Hughes, who is the eldest of the Hughes brothers, has two seasons remaining on a six-year, $47.1 million contract ($7.85 million AAV) he signed with the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 3, 2021.
Agent Pat Brisson of Creative Artists Agency represents each player.
"[Friday] is day two of training camp, and I do believe every day you lose it is an impact on a player," Fitzgerald said. "So, from our end, there's urgency to get him here or to continue to strive to that common goal of getting a deal done. I believe on their end, too, there's some urgency, so his agent and I, who I have the utmost respect for, will continue to push toward each other knowing that each side has to continue to give."
Hughes led Devils defensemen with 44 points (seven goals, 37 assists), including 16 power-play points (all assists), in 71 games in 2024-25, his second full NHL season. However, he was limited to just one game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs after sustaining a shoulder injury against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round on April 20.
Hughes had shoulder surgery ten days later.
Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said that although he's disappointed Hughes isn't in camp, he needs to continue to teach and evaluate those players he has available.
"Anytime something like this happens, as much as you're disappointed because you want all your players here, the whole team has been together for almost two weeks and they've been putting in lots of work," Keefe said. "They've been doing a lot of work on the ice and the camaraderie and all the things that come with it so that you can have a great first day when the coaches get out there. You want everybody here, and for that time that's missed, you can't make that up and you're kind of playing catch-up the rest of the season, quite honestly."
Keefe went through a similar situation with forward Dawson Mercer at the start of training camp last season. Mercer, who at the time was an RFA, missed two days of camp before signing a three-year, $12 million contract ($4 million AAV) on Sept. 20, 2024.
"From my perspective, I treat it just like an injury and I don't get worked up about these things," Keefe said. "On Wednesday we got word about (forwards) Shane Lachance and Lenni Hameenaho and how they weren't going to be available (due to minor injuries). It's disappointing, but it takes about two seconds to move their names out and put other guys in, and you press on. That's my job as the coach, to build the team with what we've got available, and I'm really excited about a lot of the depth guys. There's extra opportunity here."
