Hughes recorded a pair of assists in 14:28 of ice time in Sunday's 8-4 win over the Hurricanes.

EDGE Analysis

Hughes, making his postseason debut for the Devils with Ryan Graves (upper body) sidelined, recorded a helper on Damon Severson's goal in the second period before adding a second assist on Ondrej Palat's power-play tally in the third. It was a strong debut for the 19-year-old Hughes, the fourth-overall pick in the 2021 draft. If Graves is forced to miss additional time, Hughes could provide an offensive boost on New Jersey's blue line, though he's also likely to see somewhat sheltered minutes given his lack of experience.