With Michigan’s loss to Quinnipiac in the Frozen Four, New Jersey Devils prospect Luke Hughes is set to turn pro. Earlier this morning, the organization announced they had signed the touted prospect to a three-year entry-level contract. He will join the team for their morning skate ahead of their tilt against the Boston Bruins this morning.
The 19-year-old defenseman is coming off a stellar sophomore season with the Wolverines in the NCAA, totaling ten goals and 48 points in 39 games. The Devils have quite the group defensively as is. Adding Hughes, Jack Hughes‘ younger brother, will give them another dynamic offensive threat on the back end. With an already crowded group, where could Luke play once he’s ready for NHL action? And could he factor into the Devils’ playoff plans?
Luke Hughes at Michigan and What He Offers
When the Devils drafted Luke with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, part of it was to keep Jack happy. But make no mistake, it’s not like the organization went off the board in selecting Luke with that pick. He soon proved it as a freshman at Michigan, totaling 17 goals and 41 points in 39 games and earning Rookie of the Year in the Big Ten.
That carried over into this season, as Hughes was again one of the most offensively-gifted defensemen in the NCAA. Though his goal-scoring dropped a bit, it wasn’t for the lack of chances, as he finished with 135 shots on goal…as a defenseman. That ranked 20th in the country among all NCAA skaters and first among blueliners. That earned him a nod as a first-team All-American, a year after being a second-team All-American, making him the first Wolverine to earn All-American honors in back-to-back seasons since Mike Cammalleri.
What makes Hughes so dynamic from the back end is his elite skating. Just like his brothers Quinn and Jack, his skating is high-end, and he does it at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds. Luke is a workhorse in transition and excels off the rush, which is how the Devils like to play under head coach Lindy Ruff. He moves the puck effectively and has the offensive skill set that the best defensemen in the NHL need to have in 2023. Take a look at this play from their Frozen Four matchup against Quinnipiac:
There aren’t many defensemen who possess the kind of skill to create that space and setup for Adam Fantilli. It is a bit riskier in the NHL since Hughes will face the best of the best. But there’s no doubt that his stickhandling will be an asset to him as he matures; remember, he doesn’t turn 20 years old until September.
The one concern, at least for now, is Hughes’ defensive game. For Devils fans reading this, the concerns you may have about Damon Severson and Dougie Hamilton are the same ones you’ll have with Luke to start his career. He can, at times, have the odd brain camp defensively. But as Scott Wheeler noted in his prospect pool update in February, Hughes’ defensive game has improved quite a bit since he was a freshman:
“…improved man-to-man and in-zone defense, and he’s starting to check more and more boxes to complement the natural ability. He’s almost never in trouble, and even when he does make mistakes, he can quickly recover.”
(From ‘New Jersey Devils are No. 2 in 2023 NHL prospect pool rankings’ – The Athletic, 2/8/2023).
Though Hughes still has room to grow defensively, that’s not a surprise, given his age. What matters is his offensive toolkit and how he should fit in seamlessly with how the Devils want to play. The question is, where will Hughes play? And can he already have an impact on the team in the playoffs?
Hughes Joins a Talented Devils Blue Line
Given Hughes’ strengths, there’s no doubt he can be another tantalizing offensive element alongside Hamilton and, to a lesser extent, Severson. But where does he fit on a blue line that already has seven dependable defensemen, especially with the recent emergence of Kevin Bahl?
Related: Devils Notebook: Players’ Thoughts on the 2023 Playoffs
It’s unlikely Hughes plays in tonight’s highly-anticipated showdown with the Bruins, who won the Presidents’ Trophy with a historic 61-win campaign. But there is a chance he could play in the Devils’ final two regular-season contests against the Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals.
One option is to place Hughes on the right side, where he played most of his collegiate career until recently despite being a left-handed shot. But that would also mean taking out one of Hamilton, Severson, and John Marino, and that’s not happening. Ruff could also sit Bahl for a game or two to end the regular season since he said he wants everyone to play before the playoffs begin. With how Severson has crushed it offensively on the third pair, placing Hughes alongside Severson could really open up the attack for the Devils.
Another option to close the regular season is to go 11 forwards and seven defensemen in a game since Hughes is such an offensive threat. Ruff could rotate him with different defense partners and limit his role to sheltered minutes to get him acclimated to the pace of the NHL. Still, that’s probably not the best option, and it would be better to let Hughes play in the traditional 12/6 setup.
The next question is, does Hughes appear in the playoffs? The Devils still have a shot at first place in the division, but if they don’t catch the Carolina Hurricanes, they’ll likely face their Hudson River rivals in the New York Rangers in the first round.
I would be surprised if he played in that series over someone like Bahl or Severson. Yet, I do see the appeal. The Rangers are one of the worst teams at defending the rush in the NHL, so Hughes should be able to thrive in transition. The catch is the Rangers could pick him apart by counterattacking with Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and co. Because of that, I’d bet on Hughes watching more than he plays, at least in the first round. But that can easily change depending on where the Devils are in any given playoff series and if Ruff feels they need more offense.
Hughes’ Time Is Coming
While it’s unrealistic to expect Hughes to have the impact Cale Makar did when he joined the Colorado Avalanche for the playoffs after an NCAA championship in 2019, Hughes’ time will come. He’s not the next Makar, either, but he has the potential to become a star defenseman. The Devils are already a 50-win team without him, and he should only help them sustain their winning ways in due time.