Overview
- Jack Hughes suffered a hand laceration at a team dinner and is expected to be sidelined into the New Year after posting 20 points in 17 games.
- Since Hughes’ absence, New Jersey has just three goals across three games, including a 1-0 loss to Florida, with power-play output roughly halved from earlier levels.
- Even-strength creation was lagging before the injury and has worsened, with recent games showing a 21-13 scoring-chance deficit to the Panthers and overall chance rates down per Natural Stat Trick.
- Dawson Mercer’s shift to center has underperformed, with Mercer-led trios generating three chances for and yielding 20 against, while Nico Hischier-led units are the only top-six group posting positive differentials.
- GM Tom Fitzgerald is working to add a third-line center soon rather than pursue a top-line replacement, weighing options such as Brayden Schenn as the center market tightens, with LTIR and cap realities (~$1.75M daily space and a projected ~$5.8M over when healthy) and an internal look at Cody Glass once he returns.