New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes has only two NHL seasons behind him, yet Stanley Cup champions are already praising his game. Known for his skating, puck-moving ability and confidence with the puck, he is an important part of the team’s power play and transition game. At 21, Hughes is a key piece of the Devils’ future.On NHL Network, Mike Rupp and Patrick Maroon spoke about what Hughes brings to New Jersey. Rupp, who won the Stanley Cup with the Devils in 2003, pointed to Hughes’ ability to take on more responsibility as the season progresses. He mentioned how injuries gave Hughes a chance to play bigger minutes.“Yeah, I mean, he can do everything," Rupp said. "And I think in New Jersey, they're at the stage right now where they're ready to just keep giving them more and more.”He also added that Hughes has already started to run the power play and has the qualities of a number one defenseman.Maroon, who won three straight Stanley Cups between 2019 and 2021, agreed that Hughes is an important piece for the Devils. “I think we haven’t even seen the best of Luke Hughes yet. I don’t think he’s come out of his shell yet,” Maroon said.Luke Hughes' entry-level contract with the Devils, signed for three years at $2,775,000, expired at the end of the 2024-25 season. Hughes is a restricted free agent, and the Devils will need to decide on his next deal.Jeff Marek predicted contract extension timeline for Devils' Luke HughesOn Monday, analyst Jeff Marek spoke about Luke Hughes on the "Empty Netters" podcast. Marek said contract delays do not help young players. He explained that missing camp or games slows development."I think players understand now, and teams," Marek said. "It does nobody any good if a player misses time, whatsoever, especially young players. Like, the pace of the game right now is just too fast."Marek believes the Devils want Hughes ready for training camp."I think this one gets done before training camp," Marek said about extension timing.Last season, the Devils lost in the playoffs to the Carolina Hurricanes. Injuries to key players weakened their lineup, and they were out in only five games. Secondary scoring was missing throughout the series. The Devils also struggled defensively under pressure, and in Game 5, they lost a 3-0 lead and were eliminated.