Luke Hughes back at Devils practice as family basks in Olympic gold
luke hughes returned to practice with the New Jersey Devils as the club resumed activity following the extended Olympic break, a benchside status update that comes after his brothers and their mother helped the United States claim gold in Milan. The timing matters because the Devils are shifting focus from the Olympic pause back to the final stretch of the NHL season.
Luke Hughes returns to practice, update from Sheldon Keefe
Luke Hughes was back at practice today as the Devils returned from their extended break, and head coach Sheldon Keefe provided an update on him while discussing the team's plan to resume the NHL schedule. Keefe shared his thoughts on Jack Hughes's game-winning goal at the Olympics and discussed the club's return from the Olympic break. The coach also addressed preparations for the upcoming final stretch of the season.
Sheldon Keefe and teammates react to Jack Hughes's golden OT goal
Sheldon Keefe spoke about Jack Hughes's game-winning OT goal that secured the gold for the Americans, and several Devils players offered their takes. Brett Pesce shared his thoughts on Jack scoring the game-winning goal for the Americans, and Jake Allen shared his thoughts on the upcoming final stretch of the season. The overtime winner came when Jack Hughes put the puck past Jordan Binnington in overtime Sunday night to score the golden goal.
Family celebration in Milan: Ellen Weinberg-Hughes and two sons
The Hughes family had already won one Olympic gold medal in Milan when their mother, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, helped coach the U. S. women's team to a 2-1 gold medal victory over Canada on Thursday, with her sons Jack and Quinn watching from the stands. What made Milan singular was that mother and sons were in the same building, the same week, wearing the same jerseys. Ellen said, "Never in a million years did I think that I would be in Italy and have the opportunity to be a part of the women's Olympic team, " and added, "And then to have two sons there, you just count your blessings. " Jack added, "It's pretty cool, all three of us can be a part of our first Olympics together. "
Why Luke Hughes missed Milan and his recent status
The natural question with Jack and Quinn in Milan was why Luke wasn't there too. In January 2026, Luke was placed on long-term injured reserve with a shoulder injury, and he watched his brothers win gold from New Jersey. Luke, who was born in 2003, made the all-rookie team in 2023-24 and is a defenseman like Quinn. Teammates noted his return to practice as the club came back from the Olympic break.
Devils practice notes: veterans, visitors and gala ties
The return-to-practice scene included a mix of recent Olympians and familiar faces. Jesper Bratt was back at practice after his time in Milan at the Olympics. Former Devils captain Andy Greene hit the ice with his former team to help out at practice and suited up for the session. Cody Glass discussed the upcoming return to play after the Olympic break, Connor Brown shared what it's like to be back after the extended Olympic break, and Dillon shared his thoughts on seeing Simon Nemec excel at the Olympics. Arseny Gritsyuk toured the club's Sweep the Deck gala for the first time with Amanda Stein, and the team highlighted the festivities from the annual Sweep the Deck gala. Brodeur talked Canada's goalies and Elias shared his "small pants" Olympic injury story.
The Hughes family's hockey pedigree and draft history
The family's background traces through multiple generations of hockey roles and accomplishments. Jim Hughes played hockey in college before transitioning into coaching, served five years as the Toronto Maple Leafs' director of player development and later moved into talent representation as director of player development for CAA Hockey. Ellen Weinberg-Hughes was a three-sport athlete at the University of New Hampshire in soccer, lacrosse and hockey, and she won silver at the 1992 IIHF Women's World Championships; women's hockey did not debut at the Olympics until 1998, just after her playing days ended. She later worked as a broadcaster before stepping away from TV in 2009 when Jim's career demanded the family's full attention.
Quinn and Jack were both born in Orlando, Florida, while Jim was an assistant coach for the Solar Bears. The family eventually settled in Mississauga, Ontario, where the boys grew up on Canadian ice, though they never lost their American eligibility and ultimately moved to Michigan when the oldest boys were in high school. The Hugheses are the only American family to have three brothers selected in the first round of the NHL draft: Quinn went seventh overall to the Vancouver Canucks in 2018, Jack went first overall to the New Jersey Devils in 2019, and Luke went fourth overall to the Devils in 2021. Quinn, now with the Minnesota Wild after a December trade, won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman in 2024 and was voted Best Defender of this Olympic tournament by the IIHF. Jack, the Devils' franchise center, set a team record with 99 points in 2022-23 and is, after Sunday night, widely recognized in the United States, toothless as he may now be. Luke trains alongside his brothers every summer in sessions described as among the most competitive informal skates in hockey and continues to work his way back from the shoulder injury that landed him on long-term injured reserve.
This story originally appeared on Feb. 23, 2026.
