Jack Hughes returns to the ice months after shoulder surgery for unexpected reason

The New Jersey Devils have been without their star, Jack Hughes, since he was knocked out after an entanglement with Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel caused him to go shoulder-first into the boards. He got shoulder surgery at the same place where he got surgery last year.

Hughes was adamant after the injury that he wanted to work harder than ever. He shared an emotional message to Devils fans, saying in part, "I am excited to work towards recovery so I can continue to pour my heart and soul into the game I love."

It turns out, he is working hard and is already back on the ice. This is great news as Hughes needs to put work in this offseason. Everyone expects him to bulk up after two season-ending injuries to his shouler. Hughes's career is at a crossroads, and he has to prove that he's a star that can take the rigors of an 82-game season. He can take over a game at a moment's notice, but that doesn't work when he's on the sidelines.

And he wasn't on the sidelines on Tuesday. This was the first time we saw him on the ice since the injury. However, he wasn't in the normal red and black. In fact, he was wearing black and blue.

Hughes was performing tricks for Bauer Hockey, an equipment brand known as one of the best in hockey. It's also the gear of choice for Hughes for a long time. This past season, he switched to the Bauer Twitch as his stick, according to Gear Geek. He also partakes in the HyperLite equipment series, including as his backup stick and the HyperLite 2 skates. He even revealed that he used the Bauer APX when he was a child.

Jack Hughes is back on the ice for Bauer Hockey

While the reason for his return to the ice is unexpected, it's really good to see Jack Hughes back playing hockey. This means he will have ample time to train ahead of the season, and it also means that he won't be worrying as much with rehab and can build muscle this offseason. If the Devils get a fully healthy Hughes in September, the sky is the limit.

It's only the middle of June, so Hughes has plenty of time to keep getting healthy and preparing for next season. It's going to be an important one for himself and for the Devils.