The New Jersey Devils’ depth at center took a significant hit on Sunday when captain Jack Hughes left the game during their 2–0 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Hughes exited in the third period after a collision with Jack Eichel with less than two minutes remaining, which sent him crashing hard into the boards.
The incident occurred as Hughes and his brother, Luke, charged into the offensive zone on a 2-on-1 opportunity. Hughes became entangled with Eichel, causing him to slam into the boards behind the Vegas net.
Unable to brace himself, Hughes hit the boards with full force and stayed down briefly before managing to skate off the ice on his own, noticeably favoring his right arm.
Following the game, Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe was asked about Hughes’ condition but was unable to provide any immediate updates on his status.
“Real hard to see him go down. There’s no update,” Keefe said after the game. “He’s going to have to be evaluated.
“Obviously, it didn’t look good. We’re going to have to take our time to know the full extent of it.”
Keefe was handed a two-minute bench minor and eventually ejected from the game after heatedly disputing the officials’ decision not to penalize Eichel for the collision.
“Not only is he injured on the play, but there’s no call,” Keefe said. “I get kicked off the bench for telling the referee I felt it was 10 times worse than the one previously called on Jack.”
Hughes, who tops the Devils’ scoring charts with 27 goals and 70 points in 62 games, has been listed as “day-to-day” on the team’s injury report for their upcoming matches, though the severity of his injury remains unclear.
This setback could complicate New Jersey’s plans ahead of the trade deadline. Prior to the injury, the Devils were reportedly “100 percent” focused on acquiring a middle-six center to bolster their forward depth, according to Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Friday.
“The one team everyone believes will absolutely 100 percent trade for a center? New Jersey,” Friedman wrote.
Even with Jack Hughes (when healthy) and Nico Hischier anchoring the top six, the Devils are thin at the center position, relying on Justin Dowling and Erik Haula to fill third- and fourth-line roles. After Sunday’s defeat, New Jersey holds third place in the Metropolitan Division with 72 points and a 33-23-6 record after 62 games.
The Golden Knights’ Power Play Slays the Devils in a 2-0 Loss
First Period
The opening period was a story of two contrasting halves. New Jersey caught some early breaks as their opponent missed several opportunities. On the first shift, Tomas Hertl found himself alone in front of the Devils’ net but sent his shot wide. Raphael Lavoie also came close with a backdoor tip that just missed the mark. Around the 12-minute mark, Noah Hanifin’s wrist shot from the left point was deflected by Jack Eichel, only to ring off the post.
From the midway point onward (except for the final 90 seconds), the Devils tightened up defensively, with better support from their forwards. New Jersey generated a flurry of four consecutive shots late in the period, though these were more isolated chances than sustained pressure. Tomas Tatar fired a hard wrister from the slot, and Luke Hughes set up Ondrej Palat with a slick pass, but Palat missed the net. Paul Cotter also had a chance from the lower left circle but sent his shot wide.
The final two minutes saw Vegas take control. Pavel Dorofeyev had a point-blank opportunity off a pass from Hanifin, but Jacob Markstrom made a crucial save. The period ended scoreless, with the Devils outshooting Vegas 8-7 and scoring chances even at 10-10.
Second Period
The second period began with both teams playing tight, structured defense, leaving little room for offense. Timo Meier, Nico Hischier, and Dawson Mercer stood out for New Jersey. Meier had a hard shot from the left circle, followed by a one-timer off a set play, but Adin Hill stopped both attempts. Stefan Noesen delivered a crushing hit on Zach Whitecloud in the neutral zone, one of the few highlights for the Devils.
Around the nine-minute mark, the game opened up, leading to a flurry of chances. Luke Hughes circled the net and snapped a shot that Hill covered, while Hischier made a key block on an odd-man rush. Jack Hughes had a golden opportunity on a backhand with an open net but couldn’t convert. Erik Haula and Paul Cotter later had a two-on-one chance, but Hill stood tall again.
Vegas dominated the final two and a half minutes. Markstrom made a spectacular glove save on Brett Howden’s backhand shot and followed it up with a poke check to deny Eichel on a drive to the net. Despite Vegas outshooting New Jersey 9-8 and holding an 11-6 edge in scoring chances, the period remained scoreless.
Third Period
The third period started strong for New Jersey, with Meier creating a chance that led to a follow-up shot by Brett Pesce, saved by Hill. However, special teams shifted momentum in Vegas’ favor. Just over a minute in, Eichel hit the post, and Jack Hughes took a penalty for interfering with Tanner Pearson. On the ensuing power play, Noah Hanifin’s point shot was tipped by Mark Stone past Markstrom, putting Vegas up 1-0.
New Jersey’s response was concerning. Instead of pushing back, they lost focus, allowing Vegas to sustain pressure. Eichel set up Pearson for a two-on-one chance that hit the post, and the Devils’ erratic play led to a Too Many Men penalty. Vegas capitalized again when Hanifin’s slap shot found the net through traffic, making it 2-0.
The Devils didn’t give up but couldn’t find the back of the net. Jack Hughes’ line had a strong shift, including a point-blank chance for Hughes, but Hill stood firm. A slashing penalty on Raphael Lavoie gave New Jersey a power play, but they failed to generate anything meaningful. To make matters worse, Ondrej Palat took a tripping penalty, further stifling their momentum.
The period turned disastrous in the final minutes. On a two-on-one rush, Hischier’s shot was blocked, and on the backcheck, Eichel clipped Hughes’ skate, sending him awkwardly into the boards. Hughes lay motionless before skating off, favoring his right arm. Coach Sheldon Keefe was furious, earning an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and a game misconduct for arguing the non-call. Vegas didn’t score on the power play, but the damage was done.
The New Jersey Devils fell to the Vegas Golden Knights 2-0, ending a frustrating night marked by missed opportunities and questionable officiating.
