NEWARK, N.J. — Jack Hughes returned to Devils camp with an Olympic gold medal, an overtime winner against Canada, and a clearer sense of what he wants to bring to New Jersey. For Martin Brodeur, the playmaking center’s finish for Team USA in Milan may mark more than a signature international moment; it may be the start of a more complete chapter in Hughes’ NHL career.
Hughes scored 1:41 into overtime on Feb. 22 to lift the United States past Canada 2-1 in the men’s Olympic final in Milan, Italy. The goal gave Team USA the gold medal and gave Hughes a defining answer after a difficult run of injuries.
From Milan gold to Devils responsibility
- Hughes arrived at the Olympics after several seasons in which his elite production was interrupted by health issues.
- He delivered the overtime winner in the gold-medal game, beating Canada to secure the United States’ 2-1 victory.
- Back with New Jersey, Hughes has shown a greater willingness to take charge as an assistant captain alongside Jesper Bratt, captain Nico Hischier and the club’s veteran leadership group.
- The Devils now hope the lessons from an international championship carry into a push for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Brodeur, New Jersey’s executive vice president of hockey operations, has watched Hughes grow from a highly touted teenager into one of the League’s most dangerous offensive threats. The Hall of Fame goaltender, who won three Stanley Cups with the Devils and two Olympic gold medals for Canada, believes Hughes’ ceiling remains exceptionally high.
“There is no real limit to where he can go,” Brodeur said.
Brodeur’s main takeaway is not simply the goal in Milan. He sees a player who has learned firsthand what a winning group demands. In Brodeur’s view, players cannot fully understand the process until they have reached the finish line, and Hughes now wants to carry that experience into the Devils dressing room.
He has also noticed Hughes taking more ownership on the ice, stepping into leadership situations rather than waiting for others to handle them. Brodeur called that development encouraging and praised Hughes as an exceptional talent.
Health remains the key variable
The skill has never been in question. Hughes can turn a broken-looking rush or a tight passing lane into a scoring chance, and he remains the focal point of New Jersey’s attack. After returning from the Olympics, the 25-year-old recorded 15 goals and 26 assists for 41 points in 25 games while averaging 21:50 of ice time.
Durability has been the lingering concern. Since entering the NHL in 2019-20, Hughes has surpassed 62 regular-season games only once. That came in 2022-23, when he posted 43 goals and 56 assists for 99 points in 78 games and helped New Jersey reach the Eastern Conference Second Round.
Brodeur said Hughes recognizes the importance of staying healthy and treats the issue seriously.
For Hughes, the Olympic title helped put the injury frustration behind him. He described the gold medal as a fitting end to a stretch filled with setbacks, saying he feels renewed, happy and focused on what is ahead rather than what went wrong before.
Luke Hughes, Jack’s younger brother and a Devils defenseman, viewed the overtime goal through the same lens. He called it a closing moment after the adversity Jack had faced over the past several years, and said it opened a new phase of his brother’s career.
Luke does not believe the medal changed Jack’s personality. Instead, he sees it as confirmation of traits that were already there: intense competitiveness, constant motivation and a central role within the team. In Luke’s assessment, Jack remains the same player while continuing to improve each season.
More support around the Devils’ top center
New Jersey has also tried to lessen the load on Hughes by adding forward depth. Hughes pointed to Evan Rodrigues, Luke Evangelista and Anthony Mantha as newcomers who could make this one of the club’s deeper forward groups in recent seasons.
Brodeur believes that depth can give Hughes more room to play without feeling that the Devils’ fortunes rest entirely on his availability. If he misses time, New Jersey should now be better equipped to absorb it rather than having its lineup unravel.
Mantha received an immediate audition with Hughes and Bratt when training camp opened Thursday. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound right wing knows the opportunity is a coveted one, especially beside two of the NHL’s quickest skaters.
“Nobody would honestly say they do not want that spot,” Mantha said. “They can both fly. My job is to play intelligently, stay in the right areas and arrive at the right time.”
That kind of support could give Hughes better matchups, reduce the amount of physical punishment he must absorb and spread some of the offensive responsibility throughout the lineup.
Playoff hockey is the next target
Entering his eighth NHL season, Hughes said he is comfortable speaking up and acting when he believes the situation requires it. With Hischier, Bratt and experienced voices in the room, he does not see leadership as a shortage for the Devils.
The Olympic overtime winner will remain a permanent part of Hughes’ career record. But for New Jersey, the more important development may be whether the experience helps turn a brilliant individual player into an even more forceful driver of a winning NHL team.
Hughes has set the target plainly: he wants the Devils back in the postseason, playing the high-stakes games and pressure-packed moments that define the spring.
