When Jack Hughes was taken first overall by the New Jersey Devils back in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, much was expected of him.
At the time, the Devils were a struggling franchise looking to return to being a team that contended for the Stanley Cup every single season. Hughes, 21, was expected to get this franchise back to its glory days when they won three Cups in a span of eight years (1995, 2000, and 2003).
Hughes struggled in his first few seasons in the league. He had trouble producing, was easily knocked off the puck, and dealt with a few injuries.
With that said, Devils management saw something in him and knew that he would more than likely be everything and more for their franchise. As such, they went out and signed him to an 8-year, $64 million last season.
The contract extension seemed to jumpstart Hughes as his play went to another level last year, even though it was shortened due to an injury. In 49 games, he still managed to have 56 points on 26 goals and 30 assists.
Fast forward to this season, and Hughes has once again taken his play to an even higher level. As of this writing (Saturday, January 7), Hughes, a two-time All-Star, has his Devils second in the Metropolitan Division and fifth in the NHL with a 25-12-3 record and 53 points.
For starters, Hughes is leading his team in a big way when it comes to offense. He leads the club with 49 points on 26 goals and 23 assists, which puts him in the top ten in scoring in the league.
Hughes has not been afraid to shoot the puck this season. He leads the team with 184 shots on goal as he has been slicing and dicing NHL goaltenders this season with his quick shot and quick release.
He is also the team’s quarterback on the power play. He is third on the team with 14 points on the man advantage, as he has been able to find create a ton of offense by finding open teammates with great passes and excellent vision.
Hughes has also shown a flair for the dramatic this season. He is tied for second on the team with three game-winning goals, as it seems like whenever the game is on the line, Hughes is out there doing what he does best, which is creating offense.
At just 21 years of age, the sky is the limit for Hughes.
