Bad news gets worse for the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. Jack Hughes is going to be out long-term. It leaves them with all but one choice moving forward.
Per the Devils, “New Jersey Devils C Jack Hughes underwent successful surgery on his finger. The procedure was performed by Dr. Robert Hotchkiss at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. The expected return to play timeline is eight weeks and he will be re-evaluated at the six-week mark.”
The incident occurred on Thursday night when the Devils were out for a team dinner.
New Jersey is in D.C. on Saturday night to face the Washington Capitals.
In the short-term, Shane Lachance has been recalled. As it stands, the Devils will have to play Alexander Ovechkin and Co. as currently constructed.
However, moving forward, they have options, but in reality, there’s only one thing they should be doing.
Let’s start with the safe option.
Mercer at Center, For Now
The safe bet is to play Dawson Mercer as the 2C until Jack comes back.
The estimated two-month timeline for Jack gives the Devils hope that he will return in-season, and they can hopefully get by with a Mercer, Nico Hischier 1-2 punch up the middle.
In the bottom-six, the Devils remain with Cody Glass, Juho Lammikko, and Luke Glendening.
So, the Devils have the bodies down the middle, although, it’s not their biggest strength. In fact, Glass has already been hurt twice this season, and is currently questionable for Saturday night.
The Devils also recalled Shane Lachance. Perhaps he’ll get his first crack at the NHL can.
Regardless, playing Mercer as the 2C is the Devils’ best in-house option right now. Sheldon Keefe explained both he and the player prefer him on the wing. But, Keefe knows that Mercer is his next-strongest option in a pinch, and boy are they ever in one.
The fortunate thing is New Jersey is flush with wingers. They can move bodies around the lineup on the wings to make it work. However, the center depth is lacking right now.
One thing is for sure. The Devils cannot allow their strong start go to waste. The East is for the taking, thus, there’s one other option the Devils should seriously consider.
A Devils Trade
The Devils have to make a trade.
Yes, they’re desperate right now. But what choice do they have?
It’s devastating news, but not the worst outcome that Jack is out for two months. Regardless of his timeline, however, the center position was already thin. Now, it’s even thinner, and will be for the foreseeable future.
After the holiday break for New Jersey last season, things got out of hand. The injury bug bit, and bit hard. As a result, they fell off a cliff and barely broke even through the rest of the season. They were fortunate enough to stay in the playoffs, but were a quick exit in the first round.
A Devils trade does a few things. First, it brings in fresh blood, perhaps from a bottom-feeder, with renewed hope on their season. Two, it instills faith in the Devils’ locker room that Tom Fitzgerald believes in the group and their strong start. And three, it strengthens their center depth when Jack does return, giving them a strong presence up the middle to go on a deep playoff run.
New Jersey cannot let their early-season momentum slip. They have so much right now and have overcome so much to this point. However, this latest development could be insurmountable. Who knows where the Devils will be by the time Jack returns.
There are options out there, too. Certainly, Fitzgerald will have to figure out how to navigate a deal without getting banged over the head with compensation.
But, Ryan O’Reilly and Nazem Kadri are certainly options. Perhaps J.G. Pageau on the Island.
This isn’t a panic button move. This is a reinforcement. The Devils have all the momentum right now, and should intend to keep it.
Don’t let the strong start go to waste.
This Devils team is different. Perhaps, their trade deadline should just show up early this season.
James is the New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on Sportsnaut and the PHWAs New … More about James Nichols