The New Jersey Devils are stuck in limbo as they continue to vie for a playoff spot. With such a tight point race in the Metropolitan Division, the team must continue its current win streak. But they continue to face tough obstacles, most recently losing Luke Hughes long-term due to a shoulder injury.
However, there are still plenty of reasons for fans to remain hopeful. A few players have been making an exceptional effort, mainly on the Devils’ front lines. In the coming months, there’s no doubt that Jack Hughes will continue to lead the charge. The team struggled without their star forward in the lineup, but his return has had a profound impact on the team’s success.
Jack’s Immediate Offensive Impact
In mid-November, the Devils lost Hughes to a freak accident that occurred during a team dinner, which required finger surgery. As a result, he missed 18 games, during which the team went 8-10-0 without him.
Hughes’s absence highlighted each and every one of the Devils’ weaknesses: goalscoring woes, a flimsy penalty kill, and poor 5-on-5 metrics. Without his playmaking abilities, the struggles began piling up, and not only were they shut out three times, but they even went on a five-game losing streak.
Safe to say, fans breathed a collective sigh of relief when Hughes returned ahead of schedule at the end of December. He didn’t miss a beat, scoring the Devils’ lone goal in a 3-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Since then, he hasn’t scored another goal, but he’s been driving their offense with plenty of points. So far this month, Hughes has earned 10 assists, including three multipoint games.
He’s also managed three or more shots on goal in eight out of 11 contests this month. Unsurprisingly, he’s recorded some of the highest minutes among Devils’ forwards in recent games, including a whopping 27:04 against the Winnipeg Jets. Despite missing a significant amount of time, Hughes continues to excel at creating scoring chances and helping his teammates find the back of the net.
Success with Numerous Linemates
Since his return, Hughes has also been frequently switching linemates. Recently, he’s centered Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt, and that line has had a positive impact. For example, throughout the Devils’ current three-game win streak, the Meier-Hughes-Bratt combination has been responsible for 34 shot attempts, along with 20 scoring chances for the Devils.
However, Hughes has also excelled alongside Nico Hischier, assisting on four of the captain’s most recent goals, three of which were scored on the power play. But their most impressive performance came against the Seattle Kraken, where Hughes assisted Hischier both on the man advantage and the overtime game-winner.
Cap just doing Cap things. #NJDevils | @Mikes_Amazing pic.twitter.com/NuuZnFijmq
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) January 15, 2026
They also excel in high-danger scenarios. Together, they’ve been on the ice for nine high-danger goals, and Hischier’s high-danger chances for percentage (HDCF%) increases by 39.96% when paired with Hughes.
As always, Hughes’s versatility remains an asset for the Devils. His consistency on the scoresheet has played a large role in keeping the team on an even keel. Having the ability to re-vamp their forward lines — and knowing that their star forward will make a difference no matter what — has allowed the Devils to regain a bit of their confidence.
Key Role Moving Forward
Throughout the upcoming weeks, Hughes will play a major role as New Jersey attempts to reclaim a playoff spot. With just six games remaining before the break, the Devils will look to him as an important leader. As of now, they sit three points shy of a playoff spot, attempting to build off the momentum of their Western Canada road trip.
Hughes is currently operating at a near point-per-game pace. With him on the ice, the Devils have a plus-10 goal differential, and Hughes averages 2.73 points every 60 minutes, based on data from MoneyPuck. Additionally, the milestones keep coming for the 24-year-old, who just played in his 400th NHL game, and is quickly approaching 400 career points.
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Hughes will also take on the international stage next month, representing Team USA in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. Last season, he was the only Hughes who participated in the 4 Nations Face-Off, but now he will have the opportunity to play with his older brother, Quinn.
When asked about his Olympic debut, he shared what it meant to be able to represent the United States. “USA Hockey is in a great place. This is the biggest stage. A great opportunity…We’re confident in our group,” said Hughes.
The second half of the season has already proven that Hughes is playing at an elite level. His on-ice vision and ability to drive offense are unparalleled, and he remains one of the most exciting players to watch in the NHL.
