NHL Trade Buzz: Jack Hughes injury could change plans for Devils
Center left loss at Vegas on Sunday; Wild may not be done after acquiring Nyquist
© Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images
New Jersey Devils
The Devils lost their leading scorer Sunday when Jack Hughes sustained an injury at 18:12 of the third period in a 2-0 loss at the Vegas Golden Knights.
Hughes, a center, was tripped into the end boards by Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel during a breakout while short-handed. He skated off the ice gingerly while favoring his right shoulder.
Coach Sheldon Keefe had no update after the game. Depending on the extent of Hughes’ injury, the Devils may be forced to make a deal to bolster their depth at center.
“Real hard to see him go down,” Keefe said after the game. “Obviously, it didn't look good. We're going to have to take the time to know the full extent of it. But yeah, it's tough to see it.”
The Devils are off Monday and visit the Dallas Stars on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; Disney+, HULU, ESPN+). They are third in the Metropolitan Division, four points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have played two fewer games.
New Jersey has alternated wins and losses its past 11 games (5-6-0), is 9-10-3 with a 2.41 goals-for average (28th in NHL) and 2.36 goals-against (tied for third) since Jan. 1 and has been without defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler (lower body) since Feb. 4.
Hughes and Jesper Bratt are the only Devils forwards with at least five points in nine games played since Feb. 1 (each has 10). Hughes leads them in goals (27), points (70), game-winning goals (seven), shots on goal (229), and average ice time (20:54).
New Jersey hasn't won consecutive games since Jan. 22-25. It has missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs 10 times in the past 12 seasons, last qualifying in 2022-23, when it reached the second round for the first time since 2012 after finishing with the most wins (52) and points (112) in its history.
Minnesota Wild
The Wild may not be done after acquiring forward Gustav Nyquist in a trade with the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
"I’m not kicking my feet up and just taking a break," general manager Bill Guerin said Sunday before a 1-0 win against the Boston Bruins. "We're going to proceed business as usual and see what's out there. I mean, you never know what it could be a dollar-for-dollar. It could be an actual hockey trade. Those are pretty rare this time of year, but it could happen."
Guerin's comments come on the heels of getting Nyquist for a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Minnesota (35-22-4) is third in the Central Division, two points ahead of the Colorado Avalanche.
"There are definitely (trade partners out there)," Guerin said. "It’s a little early now, but there are."
Nashville is retaining 50 percent of Nyquist's average annual value of $3.185 million. He has 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 58 games this season.
New York Islanders
Brock Nelson can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, but he’d like to remain a part of the Islanders’ future plans.
"I love playing here," the 33-year-old forward said Monday. "I'm still playing here. So, until someone tells me differently, I'm just worried about playing and make a difference in the games.”
Nelson is one of more intriguing forwards potentially on the trade market. He's in the last of a six-year contract ($6 million AAV) and has 41 points (19 goals, 22 assists) in 59 games this season.
Nelson scored at least 34 goals and 59 points in each of the previous three seasons.
"Obviously, there's a lot going on and everyone's like, 'Hey, the Deadline is Friday, let's get an answer right now and decide,' [but] it may not work out that way," Nelson said. "There's a number of different situations that could play out in contract [talks]. It could be one that is left not done. You don't have to have one by Friday. We'll see how everything plays out."
The Islanders (27-25-7) are five points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference heading into their game at the New York Rangers on Monday (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NHLN, MSG).
"I have a lot of years left," said Nelson, who is in his 12th season, all with the Islanders. "It's easy to say you want to get this done or vice versa. But there's another side of it too that doesn't always work out how people want or need. So, there's a lot of different things that go into it."
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche are still kicking the tires on adding more depth at forward and defense even after two trades over the past three months.
Colorado acquired defenseman Ryan Lindgren and forward Jimmy Vesey from the New York Rangers on Saturday. The deal came after the Avalanche traded forward Mikko Rantanen as part of a three-team deal with the Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks on Jan. 24, receiving forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury, along with two draft picks.
"I think the trades were just moves that we've [needed]," GM Chris MacFarland said Monday. "It's just one of those years where we felt we had to tweak some things, and certainly not something you go in every year hoping that you have to make a multitude of trades, but it's just one of those years.
“We'll see if we have one more in us this week or not. But again, it's all done in light of improving our situation."
The Avalanche (35-24-2), who have won their past two games, hold the second wild card in the West and are two points behind the Wild for third place in the Central.
Colorado hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, ALT, SNE, TVAS).
"I think there's a lot of good hockey teams on both sides, the Eastern and the Western Conference, and I think we're one of those teams," MacFarland said. "I think any given night where, if we play our A-game, we're dangerous.
“I think it's no secret that we had to try and get deeper, both up front and on the back end. I don't think we're totally satisfied. If we can still find a way to improve the team, we'll try. How? I don't know. We've obviously used some draft capital and things of that sort, but I think we're deeper."
Boston Bruins
The Bruins were already down two defensemen heading into the Trade Deadline, and now they’re missing captain Brad Marchand.
The 36-year-old forward was helped off the ice early in the first period of a 3-2 win at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. He was hit by Penguins defenseman P.O Joseph on a power play at 5:52, falling face-first into the boards. He remained down for several minutes before being partially carried to the locker room by teammate David Pastrnak and a trainer.
He did not play Sunday but did travel with the Bruins for their 1-0 loss at Minnesota. Marchand ranks second on the Bruins with 47 points (21 goals, 26 assists) in 61 games this season, his 16th in the NHL.
Boston is without defenseman Hampus Lindholm (knee injury) for the remainder of the season, and defenseman Charlie McAvoy hasn't played since being hospitalized with a shoulder injury and infection while representing the United States during the 4 Nations Face-Off.
The Bruins (28-26-8) are two points behind the Red Wings for the second wild card in the East. Detroit has played two fewer games.
"Historically, we've been pretty aggressive (before the Deadline)," general manager Don Sweeney said last week. "I think we'll take a much more cautious approach as we approach the Deadline. That being said, if there are opportunities to improve our team now and certainly moving forward, whether that's positional shifts or other teams are trying to identify that we may have a strength at, we will look at all opportunities to improve our team now."
NHL.com independent correspondents Jessi Pierce, Stefen Rosner and Ryan Boulding contributed to this report
