Jack cashes in
But Devils fall to Sharks after Hughes signs eight-year, $64M extension
The Devils locked up their best player until the end of the decade, signing center Jack Hughes to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension Tuesday, but the night ended in disappointment with a
5-2 loss to the Sharks in Newark.
Hughes returned to the lineup after missing 17 games with a dislocated shoulder.
“It’s a fantastic day for the organization and for our team, and for Jack and his family,” GM Tom Fitzgerald said. ”It’s a win-win.”
Hughes, the No. 1 pick overall in the 2019 draft, will earn an average salary of $8 million with the new contract. His salary over the deal will range from $9 million next season to $7 million in the final two years.
Devils managing partner David Blitzer said the franchise is committed to the smooth-skating Hughes.
“We all know what Jack means to the team on and off the ice. He’s an unbelievable player and a fantastic person,” Blitzer said. “His future is incredibly bright and he will be a pillar for our franchise for years to come.”
Later, on the ice, Sharks’ leading scorer Timo Meier scored twice and James Reimer stopped 32 shots in San Jose’s victory.
Noah Gregor, Jacob Middleton and Erik Karlsson also scored for the Sharks, who have started their fivegame road trip at 2-0.
Tomas Tatar and Jesper Bratt scored for the Devils, and Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 26 shots.
Gregor opened the scoring at 4:26 of the first, beating Blackwood for his first goal of the season. Radim Simek and Marc-Edouard Vlasic assisted.
Middleton made it 2-0 at 4:14 of the second period with his second goal this season, with assists going to Gregor and Alexander Barabanov.
Meier poured it on to make it 3-0 midway through the second on the power play, and Karlsson followed not long after to make it 4-0 San Jose.
Despite having Hughes back in the lineup for the first time since the second game of the season, the Devils offered a minimal offensive attack until the third period.
“I thought at times he really skated well,’’ Devils coach Lindy Ruff said of Hughes. ”Jack was in on some opportunities that he could have turned into goals and it just didn’t happen.”