New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes will miss the upcoming NHL All-Star Weekend skills competition and 3-on-3 tournament due to injury. In his absence, teammate Jesper Bratt has been added to the All-Star roster, taking Hughes' place. Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders will step in for Hughes in the skills competition.
Despite being sidelined, Hughes is set to co-captain one of the All-Star teams for the 3-on-3 tournament alongside his brother, Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks. To balance the rosters, Elias Pettersson, Quinn's teammate in Vancouver, has been added to Team Hughes.
The NHL had a contingency plan in place, allowing Hughes to remain a captain even if he couldn't play. Hughes has been dealing with an upper-body injury since leaving a game against the Chicago Blackhawks on January 5. Although limited to 32 games this season due to injuries, he still ranks second on the team with 45 points.
Jesper Bratt, a 25-year-old forward from Sweden, will make his All-Star debut, leading the Devils in scoring with 50 points (19 goals, 31 assists) at the break.
The skills competition will feature players like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, and others, competing in a new format for a $1 million prize. Additionally, the top goaltender among the eight participants in one event will receive a $100,000 prize, according to Steve Mayer, the league's chief content officer.
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