Will Devils star Jack Hughes return from his latest injury before the Olympic break?
Coach Sheldon Keefe seems to think so, though Devils fans hoping to see him play Tuesday are going to be disappointed.
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Hughes won’t play vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets due to the lower-body injury he suffered in a game vs. the Predators last week, Keefe told reporters at Tuesday’s optional morning skate.
“His goal is to play on Thursday and he’s trying to do everything that he can to get to that point but it’s really up to the medical team at this point. They’re not confident with where he’s at but we’ll just see what tomorrow brings,” Keefe said.
The Devils host the New York Islanders on Thursday — which is their final game before the Olympic break. Hughes is on the Team USA Winter Olympic roster. Competition begins Feb. 11.
In his first public comments since the injury on Monday, Hughes said his “goal” is to return before the break. He has skated on his own the last two days.
Hughes, 24, played three shifts and just 2:27 minutes before exiting last Thursday’s game vs. the Nashville Predators. His last shift was 56 seconds long at 7:31 of the first period. He exited for the locker room with a trainer shortly after. He was favoring his left side when he skated toward the bench.
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Hughes already underwent surgery this season after he suffered an injury to his finger at a team dinner in Chicago in November. He missed 19 games during a crucial stretch of the season.
That injury marked the second straight year Hughes has been sidelined after a freak injury. He missed the second half of last season with a shoulder injury after slamming into the board in a game against the Golden Knights.
Hughes has 36 points (12 goals and 24 assists) in 36 games.