Devils' star Hughes returns early

Jack Hughes has returned to the New Jersey Devils' lineup just over five weeks after having finger surgery.

- WIRE REPORTS AND FOR THE TIMES

Hughes was back in action Sunday night against the Buffalo Sabres after the expected U.S. Olympian was projected to miss two months following his Nov. 15 operation. The roster deadline for the Milan Games is Dec. 31.

The 24-year-old center injured his right hand at a team dinner in Chicago a couple of nights earlier. Hughes was the Devils' leading scorer at the time with 20 points, and they were in first place in the Eastern Conference. They lost 10 of 18 games without Hughes.

Winger Timo Meier also returned for New Jersey after taking a leave of absence earlier this month to attend to a family health matter.

New York Rangers captain J.T. Miller is week to week with an upper-body injury, a person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press. Miller's ability to play for the U.S. at the Milan Olympics, if selected, is not in jeopardy, the person said.

Newly hired Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen hired former Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin as associate GM and Josh Flynn as assistant GM.

ETC.

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