Hughes left the contest midway through the second period with an apparent shoulder injury and did not return.
The 22-year-old appeared to suffer the injury while chasing the puck out of the Flames’ end, when Calgary forward Justin Kirkland tugged on his jersey, causing Hughes to pull up in pain and go straight to the bench.
Hughes played just 9:31 before exiting.
After the game, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that it “sounds like” the initial diagnosis is a dislocated shoulder.
Keefe added that Hughes still needed further evaluation.
New Jersey continues its four-game road trip with stops in Edmonton, Vancouver and Seattle before returning home on Jan. 27.
The youngest Hughes brother entered Monday’s game with five goals and 21 assists in 48 games for the Devils, carrying a minus-8 rating while averaging 23:20 of ice time.
Hughes has dealt with shoulder issues in the past, undergoing surgery at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.
He suffered an injury to his shoulder in off-season training in 2024, which kept him out for the start of New Jersey’s regular-season schedule.
