Minnesota Wild
Did Jack Hughes Just End Speculation About His New Jersey Devils Future?
Jack Hughes might have just made his future with the New Jersey Devils crystal clear.
What a whirlwind of a year it’s been so far for Jack Hughes. It began with trade rumors heavily linking his brother Quinn to join him and Luke in New Jersey. Then came a fluke injury at a team dinner, followed by a shocking twist when Minnesota came out of nowhere to acquire Quinn, spoiling the Hughes family reunion. The injury bug then bit Jack again before the Olympics, but he went to Milan and capped it all off by scoring the Golden goal.
The ups and downs have been chaotic to say the least, and through it all, plenty of questions have been raised about Hughes’ future with the Devils. That wasn’t the case until Quinn was traded to the Wild, but since then, many have wondered if Jack could one day join him in the State of Hockey. His continued injury troubles and underwhelming play at times this season only added to the speculation, with chatter about whether New Jersey might even consider moving on themselves.
Those were fair questions at the time. However, after Hughes’ performance at the Olympics, the vibe around him and the Devils has shifted, and his comments following their first game back from the break sound like a guy who isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
“I really do love living in New Jersey, playing in New Jersey. For some reason, when I got drafted here—obviously, I’m a first-overall pick, I’m an American kid—I just felt like they accepted me so deeply. I feel like I’m their guy. I’m their guy. Every time I drive in, all I see is people walking around at 4:30 wearing Hughes jerseys, and I roll my window down and scream at them, ‘Love that!’ Just to represent New Jersey, to represent our fans, I’m so proud to be a Devil. It means so much to me. New Jersey means so much to me,”
The 24-year-old Hughes is in year four of the eight-year, $64 million extension he signed with the Devils back in 2021. Despite the injuries and criticism at times, he remains a point-per-game player, having tallied 37 points (12 goals, 25 assists) in 37 games this season.
At 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, the injury concerns remain real. That said, what we saw at the Olympics—and at many points throughout his career so far—reaffirms that when healthy, Hughes is one of the most talented players in the world and a true game-breaker. And let’s remember, he’s still just entering his prime; there’s plenty of room for him to grow beyond what he already is: a superstar center.
Next: Oilers Analyst Calls for Major Response to Matthew Tkachuk in Next Matchup
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