New Jersey Devils · #43 · Defence

Luke Hughes

Age 23 · Shoots left · 6′2″ · 198 lb · Born Manchester, New Hampshire, USA

Drafted 2021, #4 overall by New Jersey

Next game · Sat 10 Octvs Vancouver · 3:30 PM ET1 P in the last 1 vs VAN

Norris Trophy 3.5%Markets →

Game preview →

Games32026-27 Small sample

Goals1T-2nd on NJD

Assists0T-7th on NJD

Points1T-5th on NJD

P / GP0.33T-274th in the NHL

Shots119.1% shooting

TOI / GP24:041st on NJD

2025-262025-26: 68 games, 6-29-35, 0.51 points per game Season detail →

Luke Hughes has 1 point in 3 games of 2026-27, after 35 points in 68 games last season.

This season

2026-27 regular season · 3 games Small sample

2026-27 · The season

1 point in 3 games for the 28th-placed New Jersey

Where he ranks among NHL defencemen with 2+ games, then his scoring rate through the season in ten-game blocks.

Percentile among NHL defencemen

Shots / GP3.6799th

Takeaways396th

Ice time24:0491st

Goals / 600.8387th

Shooting %9.1%77th

Points / GP0.3360th

Penalty differential056th

PP points042nd

Assists / 600.0026th

Hits08th

Blocked shots02nd

Bars show the percentile against 198 defencemen with 2+ games in 2026-27; the thin line marks the league median.

Points per game · rolling blocks

Dashed line: season average (0.3). Dark blocks sit at or above it.

Where he ranks

See all: Where he ranks →

Points1T-5th on NJD

Points per game0.33T-274th in NHL

Goals1T-67th in NHL

Assists0T-7th on NJD

Shooting %9.1%Below avg (11.6%)

Ice time24:041st on NJD

Stats hub

Ice time and special teams

A top-pair defenceman who runs the first power play

Even-strength, power-play and shorthanded minutes, and how much of New Jersey's power play went through him.

Ice time by strength

Even strength17:56

Power play5:21

Shorthanded0:47

Total24:04

25.0 shifts a game, averaging 58 seconds each.

Special teams

PP goals0T-2nd on NJD

PP assists0T-3rd on NJD

PP points0T-4th on NJD · T-142nd NHL

SH goals0

PP points / 600.00T-4th on NJD

Power-play involvement

Goals on the PP1New Jersey total

Involved in0goals or assists

Share0.0%of every NJD PPG

PP TOI share62.3%of NJD PP time

Team power-play goals from the season team report; involvement is his power-play points.

Scoring detail

Most of the goals come at even strength

How the 1 goal and 0 assists were scored: when, at what strength, in what game state, and per 60 minutes.

Goal detail

Game-winning goals0T-2nd on NJD

Overtime goals0T-2nd on NJD

First goal of the game0

Empty-net goals0

Even-strength goals1

Power-play goals0

Goals by period

1st0

2nd0

3rd1

Overtime0

Goals by game state

Tied0

Leading0

Trailing1

0 of 1 goal broke a tie; 1 came with New Jersey trailing.

Assists at 5-on-5

Primary0

Secondary0

Five-on-five only, while the all-situations goal index fills in.

Rates per 60

Points / 600.83

Goals / 600.83

Shots / 609.1

ES points / 601.121 ES points

PP points / 600.000 PP points

Shot locations

Most attempts from the slot, goals from the slot

Every attempt, attacking right, from the games with a stored shot map.

GoalOn goalMissedBlocked

By zone

Crease1 att · 0 G

Slot12 att · 1 G

Wing9 att · 0 G

Point4 att · 0 G

Neutral zone0 att · 0 G

26 attempts across the 3 games with a stored shot map. Small sample

Expected goals

See all: Expected goals →

Expected goals (ixG)0.7169th

Goals1

Goals vs expected+0.3

Unblocked attempts13

xG per attempt.051

ixG per 600.55

2026-27 · 3 games. Rank among all skaters by ixG. Small sample: early-season xG moves a lot from night to night.

Every unblocked attempt he took, weighed by its chance of scoring from that spot, shot type and strength. Above zero is finishing better than the chances.

xG leaders

2026-27 · Skating and shot power

Distance per 60 in the 99th percentile of defencemen: 9.60 miles

How fast he skated, how far, how hard he shot and where on the ice his shifts were spent, against the average NHL defenceman.

Tracking percentile among NHL defencemen

20+ mph bursts999th

Distance / 60, mi9.6099th

Defensive-zone time34.8%91st

Offensive-zone time46.6%87th

Distance skated, mi11.683rd

Hardest shot, mph88.4377th

Top speed, mph21.0572nd

Average shot, mph69.449th

22+ mph bursts048th

90+ mph shots042nd

Bars show the percentile against 198 defencemen with 2+ games in 2026-27; the thin line marks the median. Higher is better on every row: less defensive-zone time ranks higher.

Top speed, mph21.05Defenceman average 20.52

Hardest shot, mph88.43Defenceman average 81.3

Distance skated11.6 mi3.96 mi in his longest game

Offensive-zone starts50.0%18.8% defensive · 31.3% neutral

Where his shifts were spent

46.0%All situations34.4%

43.7%Even strength34.9%

54.8%Power play31.3%

31.1%Shorthanded45.6%

OffensiveNeutralDefensive

Share of his time on ice in each zone.

Fastest moments

20.95@NYI3 Oct · 3rd 00:40
20.45vsPHI1 Oct · 3rd 18:41
20.24vsPHI1 Oct · 2nd 01:04
20.08@NYI3 Oct · 2nd 16:54
20.04vsPHI1 Oct · 1st 05:29
19.91@NYI3 Oct · 1st 14:16
19.67vsPHI1 Oct · 3rd 06:17
19.56@NYI3 Oct · 3rd 11:45

His fastest bursts in mph.

22+ mph0 · avg 0.1

20-22 mph9 · avg 1.9

18-20 mph34 · avg 12

Bursts per speed band, against the defenceman average.

Hardest shots

80.36vsPHI1 Oct · 2nd 11:57
80.04vsPHI1 Oct · 3rd 01:41
77.78vsPHI1 Oct · 3rd 15:01
77.33vsPHI1 Oct · OT 00:17
77.22vsPHI1 Oct · 3rd 09:44
71.85vsPHI1 Oct · 1st 12:24
68.26vsPHI1 Oct · 1st 16:03
68.02@NYI3 Oct · 1st 14:17

Shot speed in mph, every attempt type.

100+ mph0 · avg 0.0

90-99 mph0 · avg 0.2

80-89 mph6 · avg 1.2

70-79 mph7 · avg 2.8

Shot attempts per speed band.

Distance, last 10 games

3.96vsUTA6 Oct · 26:13 TOI
3.68@NYI3 Oct · 21:41 TOI
3.92vsPHI1 Oct · 24:17 TOI

Miles per game with his time on ice. Season average 3.85 a game. Small sample: these numbers move a lot in the first weeks of a season.

Physical play, discipline and faceoffs

Possession events, penalties drawn against penalties taken, and faceoffs.

Possession and physical

Takeaways31st on NJD

Giveaways3

TK / GV ratio1.00

Hits0T-17th on NJD

Blocked shots0T-13th on NJD

Discipline

Penalty minutes2

Minors1

Majors0

Penalties drawn1

Net penalties0drawn minus taken

Game log

Against Vancouver, a point in one of one

Full game log →

DateOpponentResultGAPSOG+/-TOI

14 Dec 2025vs

VANL 1-21015+127:01

Prediction markets

3.5% for the Norris Trophy

Season ladders and award futures he is priced for, as the venues' average midpoint.

MarketImpliedFrom stats

Kalshi Open →

Polymarket Open →

ProphetX Open →

Norris TrophyBest defenceman3.5%—Best1¢4¢Not listed

Snapshot 7 Oct, 10:42 AM ET. "Best" is the cheapest price to buy Yes after venue fees. Prices are snapshots taken every 15 minutes (season futures hourly), not live. Prediction markets carry risk of loss and are not available in every jurisdiction. 18+/21+ where applicable. How markets work · Affiliate disclosure

2025-26 · The season

35 points in 68 games on a team that finished 21st

Where he ranks among NHL defencemen with 40+ games, then his scoring rate through the season in ten-game blocks.

Percentile among NHL defencemen

Shots / GP2.2192nd

PP points1386th

Points / GP0.5185th

Ice time23:0184th

Assists / 601.1182nd

Takeaways2981st

Goals / 600.2355th

Penalty differential−645th

Shooting %4.0%29th

Blocked shots529th

Hits198th

Bars show the percentile against 201 defencemen with 40+ games in 2025-26; the thin line marks the league median.

Points per game · rolling blocks

Dashed line: season average (0.5). Dark blocks sit at or above it.

Where he ranks

See all: Where he ranks →

Points358th on NJD

Points per game0.51206th in NHL

Goals6T-408th in NHL

Assists294th on NJD

Shooting %4.0%Below avg (11.1%)

Ice time23:011st on NJD

Stats hub

Ice time and special teams

A top-pair defenceman who runs the first power play

Even-strength, power-play and shorthanded minutes, and how much of New Jersey's power play went through him.

Ice time by strength

Even strength19:44

Power play2:01

Shorthanded1:15

Total23:01

24.9 shifts a game, averaging 55 seconds each.

Special teams

PP goals2T-8th on NJD

PP assists114th on NJD

PP points135th on NJD · T-136th NHL

SH goals0

PP points / 605.672nd on NJD

Power-play involvement

Goals on the PP45New Jersey total

Involved in13goals or assists

Share28.9%of every NJD PPG

PP TOI share49.2%of NJD PP time

Team power-play goals from the season team report; involvement is his power-play points.

Scoring detail

The power play drives the goal total

How the 6 goals and 29 assists were scored: when, at what strength, in what game state, and per 60 minutes.

Goal detail

Game-winning goals1T-10th on NJD

Overtime goals0T-6th on NJD

First goal of the game0

Empty-net goals0

Even-strength goals4

Power-play goals2

Goals by period

1st2

2nd1

3rd3

Overtime0

Goals by game state

Tied1

Leading1

Trailing4

1 of 6 goals broke a tie; 4 came with New Jersey trailing.

Assists

Primary12 · 41%

Secondary17 · 59%

Primary assists are the stronger playmaking signal.

Rates per 60

Points / 601.34

Goals / 600.23

Shots / 605.8

ES points / 600.9822 ES points

PP points / 605.6713 PP points

Shot locations

Most attempts from the wing, goals from the wing

Every attempt, attacking right, from the games with a stored shot map.

GoalOn goalMissedBlocked

By zone

Crease8 att · 0 G

Slot125 att · 4 G

Wing145 att · 2 G

Point115 att · 1 G

Neutral zone3 att · 0 G

396 attempts across the 70 games with a stored shot map.

Expected goals

See all: Expected goals →

Expected goals (ixG)0.7169th

Goals1

Goals vs expected+0.3

Unblocked attempts13

xG per attempt.051

ixG per 600.55

2026-27 · 3 games. Rank among all skaters by ixG. Small sample: early-season xG moves a lot from night to night.

Every unblocked attempt he took, weighed by its chance of scoring from that spot, shot type and strength. Above zero is finishing better than the chances.

xG leaders

2025-26 · Skating and shot power

Distance per 60 in the 96th percentile of defencemen: 9.00 miles

How fast he skated, how far, how hard he shot and where on the ice his shifts were spent, against the average NHL defenceman.

Tracking percentile among NHL defencemen

22+ mph bursts796th

Distance / 60, mi9.0096th

Top speed, mph23.3795th

20+ mph bursts11794th

Hardest shot, mph97.2185th

Defensive-zone time38.8%75th

Offensive-zone time43.2%73rd

Distance skated, mi234.671st

90+ mph shots568th

Average shot, mph66.439th

Bars show the percentile against 193 defencemen with 40+ games in 2025-26; the thin line marks the median. Higher is better on every row: less defensive-zone time ranks higher.

Top speed, mph23.37Defenceman average 22.09

Hardest shot, mph97.21Defenceman average 92.6

Distance skated234.6 mi4.45 mi in his longest game

Offensive-zone starts39.6%30.8% defensive · 29.6% neutral

Where his shifts were spent

43.2%All situations38.8%

OffensiveNeutralDefensive

Share of his time on ice in each zone.

Fastest moments

22+ mph7 · avg 1.9

20-22 mph110 · avg 46

18-20 mph399 · avg 267

Bursts per speed band, against the defenceman average.

Hardest shots

100+ mph0 · avg 0.1

90-99 mph5 · avg 6.4

80-89 mph32 · avg 33

70-79 mph130 · avg 72

Shot attempts per speed band.

Physical play, discipline and faceoffs

Takes more penalties than he draws

Possession events, penalties drawn against penalties taken, and faceoffs.

Possession and physical

Takeaways292nd on NJD

Giveaways108

TK / GV ratio0.27

Hits1923rd on NJD

Blocked shots5210th on NJD

Discipline

Penalty minutes32

Minors16

Majors0

Penalties drawn10

Net penalties−6drawn minus taken

Consistency

A point in one game of three (27 of 68)

How often he scores, how long the streaks run.

How often he scores

Games with a point2740% of games

Multi-point games812%

Goals in6 games9%

Pointless games4160%

Streaks

Longest point streak3 games10 Nov – 15 Nov

Longest goal streak1 game

Longest pointless run5 games

Final ten3 in 10point in 3

Game log

Against Vancouver, a point in one of one

Full game log →

DateOpponentResultGAPSOG+/-TOI

14 Dec 2025vs

VANL 1-21015+127:01

Splits · 2025-26

Better on the road

Home and road

SplitGPPP/GP

Road34210.62

Home34140.41

By opponent

SplitGPPP/GP

vs Vancouver111.00

vs Metropolitan22110.50

vs Western Conf.27160.59

By month

SplitGPPP/GP

October1160.55

November1480.57

December1570.47

January950.56

February111.00

March1480.57

April400.00

Prediction markets

3.5% for the Norris Trophy

Season ladders and award futures he is priced for, as the venues' average midpoint.

MarketImpliedFrom stats

Kalshi Open →

Polymarket Open →

ProphetX Open →

Norris TrophyBest defenceman3.5%—Best1¢4¢Not listed

Contract

$9M a season through 2031-32

In 2025-26 he scored 3.9 points per $1M of cap hit, 139th of 191 defencemen with 40 or more games and a current contract.

Cap hit$9M8.7% of the $104M ceiling

Term7 yearsYear 2 of 7

Expires2031-32UFA at 28

Cap value$63MCap hit × 7 years

Cap space, every team Best-value contracts

Cap hit is the average annual charge against the salary cap, not a yearly salary; cap value is cap hit times the years of the deal, not a reported total. As of 2 Oct 2026.