Insiders See Late-December Return Possible for Devils’ Jack Hughes After Finger Surgery

The team maintains an eight-week timetable with a six-week evaluation, leaving his comeback tied to recovery progress.

Overview

ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported a best-case return around Christmas, with early January viewed as more likely.
Kaplan also reported he is still expected to be named to Team USA’s Olympic roster, subject to health.
The Devils said Hughes had successful finger surgery performed by Dr. Robert Hotchkiss at Hospital for Special Surgery, setting an eight-week return with a six-week re-evaluation.
Anonymous accounts described a slip on broken glass at a team event that cut his pinkie, and one source said he avoided a worse outcome.
If the full team timeline holds, he would miss roughly 27 games and target mid-January, after opening the season with 10 goals and 20 points in 17 games for a division-leading New Jersey.