3. Re-sign Luke Hughes
Luke Hughes, the youngest of the three Hughes brothers, has a current contract with New Jersey — a three-year, entry-level deal signed on April 8, 2023. While he's not currently eligible for an offer sheet, as he is considered a "10.2.c" player due to not reaching 10 games played in his first year. That's good news for the Devils, but it's still one of the biggest "to-do" on President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Tom Fitzgerald's to-do list
It's only a matter of time before the Devils extend Luke Hughes' contract due to his strong performance (44 points), high potential, and the team's desire to keep him in the fold for the long term. Extending him would also allow them to keep Jack Hughes, the team's best player, happy.
Additionally, an extension could help the team with salary cap management, as the salary cap is expected to rise, providing more room for upgrades at other positions. Furthermore — you can't really win hockey games without having solid defensemen on your roster. For Fitzgerald, Luke Hughes is one of those solid defensemen whom he's got to keep happy if he wants to win games.
2. Get and keep Jack Hughes healthy
While the team had a plethora of injuries towards the end of their year, it truly did seem like all hope was lost for the Devils until they announced star Jack was done for the season with a shoulder injury. The injury was sustained on March 2nd during a game against the Vegas Golden Knights. He collided with Jack Eichel and slammed into the boards, causing him to immediately leave the game. Hughes underwent surgery on March 5, 2025, and was placed on long-term injured reserve.
Before his injury, the middle Hughes brother was unstoppable with 70 points across 62 games. This included a massive number of 43 assists and 27 goals.
Should the timeline hold up, Jack is expected to return immediately upon next year's start of the season.