Devils star Hughes `really close' to his return to the ice
Jack Hughes is nearing a return to the New Jersey Devils lineup after missing the past month because of an injury.
The team said Saturday that Hughes is “really close” to playing again and decided to return home to New Jersey on Friday night to begin his preparations for the second half of the NHL season. He voiced optimism about an imminent return earlier in the week.
“Hopefully I come out of the break here and feel good and can finish the year off really strong,” Hughes said.
He participated in some All-Star Weekend festivities in Toronto anyway to spend time with brother Quinn of the Vancouver Canucks.
“I don't know when I'll get the chance to do this again with Quinn, so it definitely was important to both of us for me to come and show up,” Hughes said.
Hughes, the face of the Devils franchise and their second-leading scorer with 45 points in 32 games, has not played since suffering an upper-body injury Jan. 5. The league held out hope of him taking the ice for the All-Star skills competition and 3-on-3 tournament, but Hughes was ruled out last week.
“Obviously a bummer but no one's fault, just tough timing and just the way she went,” he said. “Still fortunate to be here with Quinn and stuff.”
Hughes and the Devils sit five points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference after reaching the second of the playoffs last season.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
PACIFIC DIVISION
Vancouver Vegas Edmonton Kings Seattle Calgary Ducks
San Jose
Colorado Dallas Winnipeg St. Louis Nashville Arizona Minnesota Chicago
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
Boston Florida Tampa Bay Toronto Detroit Buffalo Montreal Ottawa
N.Y. Rangers Carolina Philadelphia N.Y. Islanders Pittsburgh New Jersey Washington Columbus
GP W
49 50 45 48 50 49 50 51
CENTRAL DIVISION
49 49 47 49 51 48 49 50
GP W
49 49 50 47 50 49 49 47 49 48 50 49 46 47 47 50
Sunday's results
Today's games
Tuesday's games
33 29 29 23 21 22 18 14
GP W
32 30 30 26 26 23 21 14 31 31 27 25 26 22 20 20
GP W
30 28 25 20 22 24 22 16
No games scheduled
Wednesday's games
L OT Pts GF GA
11 15 15 15 19 22 30 32
L OT Pts GF GA
14 13 12 21 23 22 23 34
L OT Pts GF GA
9 14 18 14 18 23 21 25
METROPOLITAN DIVISION
16 15 19 17 17 20 18 24 5 6 1 10 10 5 2 5 3 6 5 2 2 3 5 2 9 4 5 8 6 4 8 2 3 5 6 12 7 3 7 10 71 186 127 64 163 138 59 160 124 56 152 132 52 140 147 49 149 155 38 129 170 33 107 199 67 190 153 66 183 151 65 148 109 54 141 153 54 153 160 49 143 147 47 149 166 30 105 177 71 173 128 66 158 127 59 175 164 58 166 150 58 176 161 48 146 155 48 136 175 42 158 170
L OT Pts GF GA
63 161 142 61 163 144 56 147 148 52 143 166 51 138 126 51 161 168 51 115 146 42 148 184
Colorado at N.Y. Rangers, 4 p.m. N.Y. Islanders at Toronto, 4 p.m.
Calgary at Boston, 4 p.m.
Dallas at Buffalo, 4 p.m.
Montreal at Washington, 4 p.m. Philadelphia at Florida, 4 p.m. Vancouver at Carolina, 4 p.m. Winnipeg at Pittsburgh, 4 p.m. Colorado at New Jersey, 4:30 p.m. Edmonton at Vegas, 7 p.m.
Dallas at Toronto, 4 p.m.
Tampa Bay at N.Y. Rangers, 4 p.m. Minnesota at Chicago, 6:30 p.m.
around with a couple of the fellas. I think everybody really got a kick out of that, honestly.”