Luke Hughes injury update: Things get rough for New Jersey Devils as star D-man suffers dislocated shoulder in loss to Calgary Flames

Things continue to go from bad to worse for the New Jersey Devils as the franchise suffered a major blow to their blue line on Monday. Partway through the game, star defenseman Luke Hughes ended up getting injured and couldn’t return to the ice.For the Devils’ side that has been struggling with their backline throughout the season, this is an added disadvantage. While New Jersey hasn’t released any official statement, one insider revealed early on Tuesday that the defenseman’s injury might be worse than earlier thought.While the fans wondered when Hughes would be back, Frank Seravalli quickly broke the news on social media shortly after the Devils' loss in Calgary. The Daily Faceoff insider provided details about the injury that ended Hughes' night prematurely."Sounds like the initial diagnosis was #NJDevils Luke Hughes dislocated his shoulder tonight in Calgary," Seravalli reported. "Will await word from Devils postgame and potential timeline as he continues to be evaluated."The 22-year-old defenseman is undergoing further medical evaluation to determine the severity of the injury. Dislocated shoulders typically require recovery periods ranging from two weeks to several months, depending on the extent of damage to surrounding ligaments and muscles.New Jersey hasn't officially confirmed the diagnosis or provided a timeline for Hughes' return. The organization will likely release more information after completing a full medical assessment in the coming days. His absence will surely sting head coach Sheldon Keefe.The 2021 fourth overall pick has proven to be an integral part of the Devils’ top four and can log heavy minutes across games. In his absence, Keefe is left to decide who can take his spot on the left side. While New Jersey has several options to pick their temporary replacement, none of them pose the same reliability as Hughes.Simon Nemec remains the most likely name to be put up on the second pair alongside Brendon Dillon. However, despite having options, the injury has come at a very critical time for the Devils. With a 25-22-2 record, the Devils stand firmly out of the wildcard position for the playoffs, with the Washington Capitals having a 2-point lead. If the Devils want to make it to the postseason, they will need to win their next few games; it’s all lost for them in the Metropolitan Division.Hughes, meanwhile, would return to the lineup soon as his injury has put an alarming number of New Jersey players on the injury reserve. Their next game will be tonight against an in-form Edmonton Oilers side.