G38 New Jersey Devils vs. Vancouver Canucks: Another Hughes Bowl™

This edition has lost a bit of luster following an injury to Devils superstar Jack Hughes.

Follow along on Twitter @ToddCordell | @InfernalAccess

Be sure to join the Discord channel to talk hockey, and everything else, with our writers and subscribers.

---

A few notes to get you set for the second and final Hughes Bowl™ of the 2023-24 season:

Hughes Bowl™ losing some shine

This edition of the Hughes Bowl™ doesn’t hold the same meaning as it should have. With Jack Hughes suffering a concerning looking injury on Friday night, the expectation is he will be unavailable for this game (and perhaps long after).

The Hughes brothers still figure to play a large part in deciding the outcome tonight, though.

From the Devils’ perspective, Luke Hughes has piled up six points over his last five games while logging 20+ minutes in four of them.

After seeing a bit of a dip in ice prior to the holiday break, Hughes is back to his usual – and heavy – usage.

I think the area his presence will be felt most – or at least needs to be – is on the power play. The Hughes brothers did a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of getting shop set in the offensive zone and quarterbacking the power play.

Without Jack, more of the weight will fall on Luke’s shoulders. He hasn’t been quite as sharp, and decisive, in his decision making of late. That’ll need to change in this one.

On the flip side, Quinn Hughes enters play with 10 goals and more points than any other defenseman. His shot volume has dipped after a crazy start but he’s a very puck-dominant blueliner who, like Jack, does almost all of the in-zone facilitating when on the ice.

If the Devils can slow him down, it’ll go a long way towards getting another important two points.

A stiff test for Nico, Part 1