Quinn Hughes: quinn hughes and Jack Hughes lead Team USA with Olympic spirit
quinn hughes has returned to the Olympic ice and made a decisive impact, scoring the game-winning goal in the quarterfinals as he and brother Jack Hughes opened their Olympic debuts at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. The brothers are key contributors as the United States advances into the semifinals and chases a medal.
Family of coaches and players
The Hughes family traces its hockey roots to parents Jim and Ellen Hughes, who are both hockey coaches. Ellen Hughes even helped the US Women’s hockey team win gold. Jim and Ellen are also parents to son Luke Hughes, who plays on the New Jersey Devils alongside Jack Hughes. Unlike his older brothers, Luke did not score a spot in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Quinn Hughes returns from injury
Quinn was originally named to the Team USA roster last year but was forced to withdraw because of a lower-body/oblique injury. This year he returned stronger than ever. He made the game-winning goal against Sweden in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, securing the US men’s team a shot at playing for a medal as they advance to the semifinals.
Jack Hughes heats up in Milan
In Milan, Jack Hughes slammed his stick on the ice during the United States’ power play after already scoring his second goal of the tournament off an aggressive move the period prior. The puck ricocheted off the end boards and right to Hughes, who buried it for a five-goal lead in Team USA’s eventual 6-2 win over Slovakia in the semifinals of the 2026 Olympics on Friday night.
Lines, roles and coaching moves
With three goals and three assists through six games, the 24-year-old Hughes has steadily earned more responsibility for the Americans. He started on the fourth line with Brock Nelson and J. T. Miller, but has since moved up to the left wing of the third unit next to Dylan Larkin and Tage Thompson. Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan said the intention was to give Hughes more ice time so that he could impact the game more.
Turnaround after 4 Nations tournament
The shift has been a 180-degree turn after a disappointing 4 Nations tournament, in which Jack recorded just one assist in four games and largely faded to the background in an overly physical slate. That has been far from the case since the 24-year-old arrived in Milan, and his recent scoring has reinforced the belief teammates expressed about his level.
Sibling praise and on-ice persona
After Quinn’s quarterfinal winner, Jack gushed: “That’s unreal. That’s a massive goal, massive moment. One of our best players taking over there and winning that game for us. ” Quinn in turn praised Jack after the Slovakia game: “Yeah, I mean he’s an elite player. I feel like whenever he’s healthy he’s one of the best players in the world. Sometimes he doesn’t get enough credit for that. People forget what a great player he is. Really happy for him that he’s able to show it in this tournament. He’s very tough and competitive and is just happy to be here and accepted any role he could. I think in the second period, with the power plays and penalty kills he didn’t play a lot there, and he comes out and scores that goal and he’s ready to go no matter what. That’s just a testament to where his mentality is at right now. ”
Contrasting college and draft paths
The family’s college and draft history appears across multiple accounts: one line in the family narrative says the eldest Hughes brother played college hockey at the University of Michigan from 2017 to 2019, was drafted seventh overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 2018 and finished out his season at Michigan before joining the NHL. Elsewhere, the middle Hughes brother was picked first overall in the 2019 NHL Draft and currently plays for the New Jersey Devils. He primarily plays forward but also shifts to the wing at times, like he did during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. Unlike his brothers Quinn and Luke, who both skated for the University of Michigan, Jack did not play college hockey and instead went directly to the NHL. The defenseman was traded to the Minnesota Wild this past season.
Olympic progress and next steps
The brothers have helped steer Team USA through a strong tournament performance, with the team already defeating Latvia, Denmark, Germany and Sweden in the quarterfinals. As the Americans prepare for the semifinals and the possibility of playing for a medal, the Hughes brothers remain central to the roster’s momentum.
Quinn has also had a lighter off-ice moment this week: known for haunting, blank stares while playing — a trait that launched memes about him “seeing Victorian ghosts” — he addressed the theory earlier this week, saying, “I’m usually pretty zoned in on what’s going on with myself and trying to get ready to do what I need to do. Sometimes you hear some funny stuff out there [on the ice]. ” He added, “But yeah, as the people say, I’m usually seeing ghosts, so I’m usually focused on myself. ”
The Hughes brothers’ performances and the family’s coaching roots have become a running subplot of the United States’ run at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics as the team advances into the medal rounds.
