The New Jersey Devils have signed Michigan sophomore defenseman Luke Hughes to a three-year, entry-level contract starting with the 2022-23 season.
In signing the NHL deal, Hughes foregoes his last two seasons with the Wolverines.
Hughes was an alternate captain for the Wolverines during the 2022-23 season. The Canton, Mich., native ranked second on Michigan in scoring this season, after tallying 48 points (10 goals, 38 assists) in 39 games.
Of his many NCAA accolades, Hughes scored his first NCAA hat trick, and added a fourth goal, vs Penn State on Jan. 28, 2023. He also earned Big Ten first-team Honors for his sophomore campaign. Hughes earned first team AHCA/CCM All-American honors yesterday, after being named to the second team last season.
The fourth-overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft, Hughes earned Big Ten all-freshman team honors in 2021-22 and was the Big Ten co-freshman of the year.
Hughes help lead the Wolverines win consecutive Big Ten tournament titles and clinch a spot in consecutive NCAA tournaments. On March 24, Hughes tallied a five-point night (goal, four assists) in Michigan’s first-round game against Colgate in the NCAA tournament.
