This offseason has not been quite what New Jersey Devils fans had hoped for entering the summer.
A top-six winger to pair with either Nico Hischier or Jack Hughes was the main priority; general manager Tom Fitzgerald did not add any marquee scorers.
While that was a disappointing turn of events, the Devils have to turn their attention to restricted free agent Luke Hughes, who has not signed a longer-term deal.
Here is the latest via NHL Insider Frank Seravalli:
“I feel like this might be a little bit more of a difficult one; maybe Luke Hughes is… incentivized to take a bit of a shorter deal.”
Hughes, 22 in September, has already flashed shades of stardom in his first two NHL campaigns. The smooth-skating lefty has 16 goals and 91 points over two full seasons, and plays an encouragingly refined defensive game.
He is much more than Jack and Quinn’s little brother, and has all the on-ice tools to develop into a top-pairing blue-liner for years to come.
In an ideal world, New Jersey could lock up Hughes on a six-year or so contract worth no more than around $7 million annually. The pipe dream has long been to pair all three Hughes brothers on the Devils, and retaining Luke is the next piece in that complicated puzzle.
Beyond the trio fantasy, New Jersey can not afford to miss out on another top-pick defenseman. Hughes was selected fourth overall in the 2021 Draft and has delivered on that billing.
However, the 2022 second overall selection, Šimon Nemec, has not quite panned out yet, and potentially investing all that draft capital for nothing would set this franchise back years.
Even if Hughes vies for the prove-it three-to-four-year deal, the Devils should do whatever it takes to keep him in New Jersey.
