As hockey fans sit and play the proverbial waiting game to see if the NHL season is resumed in light of the coronavirus emergency worldwide, Devils fans can relish in the fact that they have found a gem of a future All-Star player in Jack Hughes.
Although Hughes has been playing wing the past 11 games prior to the season suspension, head coach Alain Nasreddine plans to move him back to the center where Hughes seems to thrive as an up and coming player.
In those past 11 games since February 18th, Hughes had only one assist and 16 shots on goal even though the Devils posted a 6-3-2 record during this time period.
In 61 games, Jack Hughes is one of the brightest rookie prospects around the NHL.
Hughes has posted an impressive 7 goals and 14 assists for 21 points and compared with other NHL rookies who have played 60 games or more this season Hughes’s star potential shines even brighter.
During the course of this season, Jack Hughes has been a bit overshadowed by another Hughes – his brother Quinn.
Quinn Hughes has set the NHL world on fire with the Vancouver Canucks by leading the league with 8 goals and 45 assists which is even more impressive since he’s not only a rookie but a defenseman as well. Quinn Hughes is in a tight race for the Calder Trophy and if the season does in fact resume after this hiatus the drama will continue to unfold as both Hughes brothers are making names for themselves as the future of the NHL.
Both Jack and Quinn Hughes have obviously inherited a genetic predisposition to the sport of hockey. Their father Jim Hughes played at Providence College and has been an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins and worked in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. Their mother is Ellen Weinberg-Hughes who made a name for herself at the University of New Hampshire in multiple sports including hockey and won a silver medal at the 1992 women’s World Championships. Keeping hockey in the Hughes family seems to be an extended tradition as younger brother Luke is also on the U-17 National Development team and is a defenseman like older brother Quinn.
More than likely hockey fans will get to see all three Hughes brothers make an impact on the league and we should be able to enjoy their careers for years to come. In terms of Jack Hughes and the Devils, he has already made an impact on the season and sits atop a brighter future for this organization along with fellow young players Mackenzie Blackwood and Nico Hischier.
As we wait for the season suspension to be uplifted, the future of the Devils is already in the making and a playoff run is certainly not out of the question for next year.
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