The 2024-25 New Jersey Devils season opens in just 43 days (at the time of the writing). On October 4, the Devils will play the Buffalo Sabres in Prague, Czechia. To get ready for the season, we're doing a daily piece countdown of all the numbers of the Devils sweaters and moments in Devils franchise history. Since we are 43 days away, we will focus on a current Devil living up to the expectations of his draft and family in #43 Luke Hughes.
Like his brothers Jack and Quinn, Luke Hughes was a top prospect in the 2021 NHL Draft. Like his brother Jack, he played for the USNTDP. The Devils selected him fourth overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. We all know the legendary reaction of Jack hugging Luke, which is still just as heartwarming to see as ever. However, before Luke came up to NJ, he would spend two seasons playing for the University of Michigan, where he was the best-scoring defenseman, averaging 45+ points in both seasons. Between playing for Michigan, Luke would also play internationally for Team USA for the World Junior Hockey Championships and score 6 points in 5 games in 2021-22.
When he was called up in April of 2023 to finish the final two games of the 2022-23 season, and in his second game against the Washington Capitals in Washington, he made the most significant impact in his career, scoring the overtime winner to get his first NHL goal in a 5-4 win. In the playoffs, he scored two points in three playoff games.
The 2023-24 season was his first entire season as a rookie, and he impressed with nine goals and 38 assists for a 47-point season. Some of the skill he provided was his natural skating, and no more significant highlight showed that skill than on December 27, 2023, against the Columbus Blue Jackets at home, where he skated end to end to score a beautiful goal to tie the game up at 4, which resulted in a 5-4 overtime victory. Another great highlight from Luke that season was a great goal in overtime on November 30, 2023, in Philadelphia against the Flyers on a 2-1 with his brother Jack. Towards the end of the season, Luke was nominated for the Calder trophy, and unfortunately, he didn’t win. Still, he got 3rd place, while Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Fabers got 2nd, and the 2023-24 Calder trophy winner went to Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard.
Heading into the 2024-25 season, it was announced that Luke Hughes, along with his brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes, would be on the cover of EA Sports NHL 25. Luke will be featured on the deluxe edition, while Jack and Quinn will get separate covers. Nonetheless, what makes this unbelievable for Luke is that he’s 20 years old, which is insane to think about someone at just 20 years old making a video game cover. Stuff like that rarely happens to hockey players or less 20-year-olds nowadays. While this announcement is exciting, it’s more exciting to see how the youngest Hughes brother can be a massive contributor to the next season and the future of the Devils.