After losing superstar forward Jack Hughes to season-ending shoulder surgery, general manager Tom Fitzgerald confirmed on Wednesday that top defenseman Dougie Hamilton isn’t expected to be ready to return from his lower-body injury until at least the start of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Hamilton was only one of six Devils players to appear in all 63 of New Jersey’s games before his injury, causing him to miss the following three games. He recorded nine goals and 31 assists for 40 points, as well as 89 blocked shots, 74 hits and an average ice time of 19:48.