Luke Hughes makes his NHL debut alongside his brother Jack

Luke Hughes made his NHL debut this week, alongside his older brother Jack, on home ice in New Jersey. The 19-year-old took to the ice for the first time on Tuesday, April 11th, marking his first-ever NHL game. 

Hughes was drafted to the Devils in 2021, being the 4th overall pick of the draft that year, and following in his older brother Jack’s footsteps. Luke joined his brother after leaving the University of Michigan men’s hockey team, once they were knocked out of the NCAA Frozen Four championship. 

Hughes joined the Devils while they were still in Boston, and joined the team for his first official game on Tuesday at the Prudential Center, making his debut in front of a packed house full of Devils fans. 

The Devils won the match against the Buffalo Sabres, taking a win on fan appreciation night at the Rock. Luke’s older brother Jack made history that night, becoming the lone Devil with the highest points in a single season, having passed Patrick Elias, who held the record at 96 points in the 2000-2001 season. 

Alongside this win, the Devils were able to clinch home ice for the first round of the playoffs. 

Even more excitement came on Thursday, April 13th, when Luke stepped on the ice for his second-ever game. The defenseman played with heaps of confidence. 

The Devils quickly went behind 3-0 in the first period. However, if there is anything that the league has learned from this New Jersey Devils team, it is that they do not give up. 

The Devils battled back in the third, tying the score at 4-4. The game went into overtime, giving the Devils a chance to win their final regular season game of the year. 

Luke Hughes, who had assisted on the first Devils goal of the night, had a beautiful wrap-around shot that sealed the win for the Devils, leaving them victorious.

Hughes’s first National Hockey League goal was a thing of beauty, and in poetic fashion, his brother Jack assisted on the goal, marking his 99th point of the season. 

The Hughes brothers have only played 120 minutes of hockey together in the NHL and are already proving their immense impact. The New Jersey Devils have an exciting playoff stretch ahead of them, scheduled to face their infamous rivals, the Rangers, in the first round. 

There is plenty of talent and excitement left for the Devils and the Hughes brothers to show the league.