Devils confident in playoff push despite Jack Hughes injury

NEWARK, N.J. -- Jack Hughes will miss the remainder of the season for the New Jersey Devils, but the team remains optimistic that it can compete for a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"Dig in, that's the mindset," Devils captain Nico Hischier told NHL.com on Thursday. "It's a big loss but this happens to teams. Everybody has got to step up their game and play for those guys we know would love to be here playing these meaningful games down the stretch."

Hughes, a 23-year-old center, was placed on long-term injured reserve following shoulder surgery Wednesday. He was injured late in the third period in a 2-0 loss at the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday and is expected to be ready for training camp.

"We're all disappointed but he's going to come back and he's going to be even better next year," said Devils defenseman Luke Hughes, Jack's brother. "He's a huge piece of our team, piece of the organization, and we're definitely going to miss him. But we just got to step up as a team and fill those shoes."

Jack Hughes posted a message on Instagram on Thursday for the first time since the surgery.

"I know I'm not the first athlete to face the challenges that comes with injuries, and I certainly will not be the last," he said. "But this is another hill to climb. The more adversity I face, the more I will believe in myself, the deeper I will dig into who I am, in the pursuit of being the best version of myself. I am excited to work towards recovery so I can continue to pour my heart and soul into the game I love.

"Thanks to all my family, friends, teammates for your love and support. To all the Devils fans and fans of mine, thank you and I look forward to doing what I enjoy most in front of you for many years to come."

Hughes leads the Devils in goals (27), game-winning goals (seven) and shots on goal (229), and leads their forwards in average ice time per game (20:54).

"We need guys to step up and kind of just rally together," Luke Hughes said. "We played really good in Dallas as a team (a 4-3 loss on Tuesday). I was really proud of the way we came back and fought to the end. It wasn't the result we wanted but it was an encouraging sight for our team."

"Some thoughts I wanted to share. Sports/ Life can break you down, can be unfair," Jack Hughes said in an Instagram post on Thursday. "All the preparation, sacrifice, emotion, training, toughness you put into a year can be wasted within a matter of seconds. I know I'm not the first athlete to face the challenges that comes with injuries, and I certainly will not be the last. But this is another hill to climb. The more adversity I face, the more I will believe in myself, the deeper I will dig into who I am, in the pursuit of being the best version of myself. I am excited to work towards recovery so I can continue to pour my heart and soul into the game I love.

Thanks to all my family, friends, teammates for your love and support. To all the Devils fans and fans of mine, thank you and I look forward to doing what I enjoy most in front of you for many years to come.

Jack Hughes is tied with Jesper Bratt for the team lead in points (70) and is second in assists (43) behind Bratt (53).

"Jack's such a facilitator and a creator of offense," New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe said. "We're going to have to go about things a little differently in terms of earning the offense with forecheck pressure, puck pressure, tips, rebounds, those things. But in terms of our strategy, I don't see a need for it to change."

The Devils (33-24-6) have 19 regular-season games remaining, including the first of 12 at home when they play the Winnipeg Jets on Friday (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, TSN3). They are third in the Metropolitan Division, four points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have played two fewer games.

"Qualifying for playoffs is still our goal, without question," Keefe said. "We're in a playoff position and we expect to be in one when this is all said and done. We got some work ahead of us here; the League is as tight as it's ever been. But we got to keep growing as a team and growing our game.

"With Jack out and some of the injuries we're facing, we're growing and evolving as a group, but the goal doesn't change."

Keefe said he did something unusual for him after the loss against the Stars.

"I went in and spoke to the team after the game, which I rarely never do after a loss," he said. "I felt I needed to go and speak to them in that moment because we were dejected and felt disappointed how we managed the game, acknowledging that's the difference between winning and losing. But it doesn't take away from the effort and the fight and the care that our group had."

The Devils could be working the phone lines to upgrade the forward position with less than 24 hours remaining until the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline (3 p.m. ET Friday); a center with some size and experience might top the wish list.

Outside of Hischier, who has 26 goals and 49 points and leads the Devils with a face-off winning percentage of 55.5 percent in 57 games, the Devils have five other forwards on the roster capable of playing down the middle. They are Erik Haula, Dawson Mercer, Curtis Lazar, Justin Dowling and Paul Cotter, who have combined for 35 goals and 66 points. Shane Bowers, who also has filled in at center on occasion this season, is with Utica of the American Hockey League.

"We've been pretty deliberate about talking about it, showing video, and chance generation hasn't necessarily been an issue for our team. Even lower in the lineup, we've had some looks," Keefe said. "It's been more about the execution and finish of our shots."

New Jersey is 5-7-0 in its past 12 games, including two straight losses. They have a 2.43 goals-for average (30th in the NHL) and 2.43 goals-against average (fourth) since Jan. 1. They also have been without defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler (lower body) since Feb. 4 and lost defenseman Dougie Hamilton to an injury in the first period against the Stars on Tuesday.

"It [stinks] seeing Dougie go down at a time like this and there's holes we have to fill," New Jersey defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic said. "I think Luke will step into that offensive power-play spot. The rest of us just got to be ourselves and bring more of what we do to the game."

New Jersey did acquire veteran defenseman Brian Dumoulin in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday to help alleviate the losses of Siegenthaler and Hamilton. Keefe did not have a timeline as to when either defenseman might return to the lineup.

"We're still a confident group and we're here for a reason and know what we can do," Mercer said. "Whoever is in the lineup, we know we're going to give it our all to give us the best chance to win. I don't see why our goal of qualifying for the playoffs would change."