The Devils announced Thursday that they have chosen not to release Hughes for the 2021 World Junior Hockey Championships, Mike Morreale of NHL.com reports.
The Devils took the cautious approach to preserve their 2019 No. 1 pick, as the longer layoff will give Hughes a chances to be better prepared for the start of the 2020-21 NHL season. The 19-year-old supplied seven goals and 21 points across 61 games in his rookie season, as he's expected to take a big jump heading into his second full season.
