Luke Hughes Sparks New Hope Around Jack Hughes’ Return Timeline
Right now, there’s a fresh wave of optimism surrounding the New Jersey Devils, and it’s all tied to what Luke Hughes may have accidentally revealed about his older brother, Jack Hughes. For weeks, Devils fans have been bracing themselves for a long absence from their superstar center, but recent comments and quiet developments are starting to paint a more encouraging picture.
Just a day after head coach Sheldon Keefe cautioned that Jack Hughes was “not close to joining the group,” the tone shifted unexpectedly. During a TNT pregame interview ahead of the Devils’ matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights, Luke Hughes was asked directly about his brother’s status. His answer was simple but eye-opening. Jack, he said, “should be back pretty soon.” That statement immediately raised eyebrows, especially since it seemed to contradict what had been said by the coaching staff less than 24 hours earlier.
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Interestingly, Luke’s words weren’t completely out of left field. A report from TSN around the same time suggested that Jack Hughes wasn’t far off from returning and could be back earlier than originally expected. Add to that a photo that surfaced online showing Jack skating at the Prudential Center with a stick, and suddenly the puzzle pieces began to fit together. A team source later confirmed that Jack is indeed skating with a stick now, which is widely seen as a significant step forward in his recovery. The progress was described simply as “good,” but for a team battered by injuries, that one word carried a lot of weight.
Jack Hughes, 24, has been sidelined since a freak accident at a team dinner in Chicago on November 13. It was later revealed that he slipped and fell on a piece of broken glass, suffering a deep cut to his finger that required stitches and surgery. The procedure was performed in New York, and at the time, the Devils announced an expected recovery window of six to eight weeks, with a re-evaluation planned midway through that stretch. That timeline pointed toward an early January return.
Since then, the Devils have struggled to stay afloat. Shortly after Hughes went down, the team slipped out of the playoff picture. Injuries piled up across the roster, with New Jersey ranking among the league leaders in man-games lost. Even so, the group has continued to compete, highlighted by a gritty 2–1 shootout win over Vegas.
Now, with Jack Hughes back on the ice and Luke Hughes hinting that his return may be closer than expected, hope has quietly crept back in. Nothing official has been announced, and caution will still be exercised, but for the first time in a while, it feels like the Devils’ season may soon be getting its most important piece back.
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