New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes underwent season-ending shoulder surgery Wednesday, a critical blow to the team's postseason hopes.
Hughes is expected to make a full recovery and be available for 2025 training camp.
Hughes, 23, left the Devils' loss at the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. His skates became tangled with Vegas center Jack Eichel before he fell to the ice and collided with the end boards. Hughes skated away hunched over in pain.
He left the team's road trip before its loss in Dallas on Tuesday for further medical evaluation.
"Following a review of the imaging and subsequent conversations with Jack, his family, representatives, and the Devils' medical and athlete care staffs, it was determined that Jack would proceed with shoulder surgery," the team said in a statement.
The procedure was performed by Dr. Peter Millett at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado.
The Devils have placed Hughes on long-term injured reserve, which frees up his $8 million in salary cap space ahead of Friday's NHL trade deadline.
Hughes is the team leader in goals (27) and is tied with Jesper Bratt with 70 points. He leads all Devils players in average ice time (20:54) per game.
In 368 career games with New Jersey, Hughes has 141 goals and 210 assists for 351 points.
He was also a member of Team USA at the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off last month.
The Devils are third in the Metro Division at 72 points. But the team squandered an early-season points cushion by going 9-11-3 since Jan. 1, while teams such as the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers have closed the gap.
