Hughes Brothers Hockey: hughes brothers hockey and Jack Hughes’s Olympic golden goal
Jack Hughes’s overtime winner for Team USA in the Olympic men’s hockey final has thrust the family name back into the spotlight. hughes brothers hockey matters now because his 2-1 overtime goal ended a 46-year Olympic gold drought and completed a dramatic tournament run at the Milan Cortina Games.
Jack Hughes’s golden goal: Feb. 22, 2-1 overtime win over Canada
Jack Hughes was Team USA’s overtime hero on Sunday, Feb. 22, scoring the game-deciding goal in a 2-1 win over Canada in the Olympic men’s hockey gold medal game. Team USA withstood a barrage from Canada’s NHL superstars to secure the victory in overtime and end a 46-year gold medal drought.
Hughes Brothers Hockey: family roots and early development
Jack Hughes is the younger brother of Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes. Born in Orlando, Hughes grew up in Toronto, where his father, Jim, worked for the Maple Leafs. The family moved to Michigan when the boys started with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program.
Both of his parents were hockey players and later worked in player development. His mother, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, played for the U. S. women’s national team and worked as a consultant for the gold medal-winning American women’s hockey team at these Olympics. This chapter in hughes brothers hockey traces that trajectory from family roots through national development programs.
No. 1 draft pick, Devils résumé, and injury history
Jack Hughes was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NHL draft by the New Jersey Devils. At 24, he has 387 points in 404 NHL games and is a two-time All-Star, credited for his speed and playmaking instincts. The only thing that has held him back is his health: he has missed time in all seven of his NHL seasons because of injuries.
He is the only Hughes brother who went right to the NHL; Quinn and younger brother Luke Hughes went to the University of Michigan before turning pro. Luke Hughes also plays for the Devils.
Olympic performance, semifinal two-goal game and on-ice toughness
Hughes was described as tremendous for the U. S. during the Olympics. He scored two goals in Team USA’s victory over Slovakia in the semifinals. He also lost a tooth taking a high-sticking penalty on Sunday during the tournament.
U. S. teammate Tage Thompson praised Hughes’s ability in pressure moments, saying, “He is built for these moments. He loves the pressure, loves the spotlight. That is when he shines most. He is a gamer. He wants the puck on his stick at all times. He wants to be the guy who makes the play. And he did. ”
After the gold-medal game, Hughes told reporters in Italy, “The best experiences I have are playing for my country. Playing to break the golden drought with this group of guys and for us to win gold here at the Olympics, just an unbelievable moment. ”
Family reaction, historical echoes and local contributions
For Quinn Hughes, watching his brother score an Olympic golden goal was “extra special. ” Quinn said of Jack, “He’s an animal. He just kept going, mentally tough.... No one loves the game more than him. He’s got so much passion. He’s a gamer. He made it happen. ”
Those from the “Miracle on Ice” team are big fans of the “Surprise on Ice” team that will bring home the gold from the Milan Cortina Games. Both gold medal-winning hockey teams pulled off overtime victories over Canada with heavy contributions from Minnesota players.
Naila-Jean Meyers contributed reporting. Ben Gotz is College/Women's Sports Team Leader.
