The New Jersey Devils' defense has been amazing this season. There is nothing else to say about the blueline so far. Since Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce returned from injury, this six-man unit has been as good as any pair in the league. In fact, according to Money Puck, of pairs that have been together for at least 300 minutes, the Devils have two of the top 13 pairs in goals against per 60 minutes.
The Devils have had the luxury of keeping their six defensemen on their pairs since Hughes and Pesce returned. The other four defensemen have missed exactly zero games. That's an insane stroke of good luck, and it helps that all four defensemen are playing very well. They aren't without their flaws, but it's hard to say they are anything besides amazing.
For forward grades, click here. Now, let's take a look at the grades for our defensemen at the midpoint of the 2024-25 season.
Luke Hughes
Goals: 3 Assists: 15 Points: 18
Grade: A+
At the beginning of the season, many were questioning what was going on with Luke Hughes. His offensive numbers were non-existent. He had an assist in his first game back from injury, but then he failed to record a point for the next nine games. His assist game wasn't there, even if he was making plays. There was some of this that was bad luck, as he was on the second power-play unit, and they weren't getting nearly as many chances. However, since those first 10 games, Hughes has 17 points in 23 games.
While the offense is there, it's the defense that is why Hughes is getting an "A+" grade. He has always been the fastest defenseman in the NHL, but he usually used that for zone exits and offensive production. This season, he's using that speed to make defensive plays. He gets back and ruins 2-on-1s at least once a game. He is in passing lanes and quickly turns defense into offense. Luke Hughes is quickly becoming one of the better defensemen in the league, which is amazing to see.