‘We’ve got a really wide window.’ The glory years are just beginning for Jack Hughes and the Devils

Credit: Feb 6, 2023; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) high fives a fan after the game against the Vancouver Canucks at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

NASHVILLE – Leaning over the boards, bated breath, Jack Hughes was absolutely riveted by what he saw. A year ago, he never could’ve imagined he’d be in this position.

Siblings or not, pro hockey players are supposed to be all business, focused on their craft, engaged in their assignments at both ends of the ice, often reviewing their play on tablets between shifts. But there was no compartmentalizing the excitement for Jack Hughes when he got to see brother Luke make his NHL debut April 11 against the Buffalo Sabres.

“You’re so in your bubble – everyone’s focused on doing their own jobs and trusting that the other guy’s going to do their job as well. You don’t even notice it. But when my brother’s out there, I’m watching him. I’m like, ‘Come on, do this, do that, good play,’ ” Jack Hughes told Daily Faceoff while in Nashville for the NHL Awards as a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy. “You’re really invested in it, you know? I’m sure that’ll change when he’s the star that he’s gonna be. I know it’ll be different when he’s got a bunch of games under this belt. But just off the start I was really proud of how he did and how he came into these pressure-packed situations and handled them really well.”

A month later, the Hughes brothers found themselves sharing the ice in the playoffs as Luke drew into New Jersey’s lineup during the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes. It was another surreal moment in a surreal season for the Devils. They had the fifth-worst record in the NHL a year ago and went supernova in 2022-23, dominant pretty much wire to wire, finishing with the third-best record in the league. After dropping the first two playoff games of Jack Hughes’ career in Round 1 vs. the New York Rangers, the Devils stormed back to beat them in seven games. And all that after Hughes went off for 43 goals and 99 points in a season that broke him through into superstar territory. Having his brother wrap up his season with the University of Michigan and turn pro was just one more highlight in an incredible whirlwind of a year.

The question now is: what’s next? After the Devils kicked down the door of Eastern Conference contenders, what’s a realistic expectation going forward? They’ve established themselves as one of the league’s elite teams. And now the core – which includes the Hughes brothers, captain Nico Hischier, wingers Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier and more – has a playoff series win under its belt. Is “Stanley Cup or bust” the next logical step in the progression?

“I’m 22. Nico’s 24. Bratter’s 24. Luke hasn’t even played a whole year yet. We’ve got a really wide window that probably just opened up,” Hughes said. “We probably surprised ourselves a bit, too. It’s hard to go from bottom-five team in the league just to win the Stanley Cup. What we did this year was a great step forward for us. We want to continue to take another step forward. It’ll be hard to replicate what we did this year, because we had such a special year. The goal now, it’s definitely playoffs every year. And that’s the mindset. We want to go on deep runs. But I wouldn’t say it’s Cup or bust. We’re a young team and we’re learning.”

Hughes is excited by what he calls “collective buy-in” from a core that is set to remain in New Jersey together for a while. He’s entering season 2 of an eight-year, $64 million deal. Hischier has four seasons left at $7.25 million. Bratt, who was an RFA, signed an eight-year extension at a $7.875 million AAV on June 15. Next up is Meier, who is also an RFA. The Devils filed for arbitration but still hope to get an extension done with their best goal-scoring winger before then. Hughes expressed optimism to Daily Faceoff that it’ll get done.

With the likes of Dougie Hamilton and John Marino still locked up many more seasons on defense, too, the Devils are indeed positioned to be contenders for years to come, assuming they can stabilize their goaltending, which alternated between sturdy and shaky this past season. Hughes is keeping his expectations realistic. But what about the expectations for himself? He’s a strong candidate to break the 100-point barrier next season. He’s 12^th in the NHL in points per 60 at 5-on-5 over the past two seasons. Will an Art Ross Trophy or a Hart Trophy arrive in his near future? He’s not one to dismiss the idea of either. Quite the contrary. He’s the rare player who openly pays attention to the numbers and the news cycle.

“I’m a hockey junkie,” Hughes said. “I’m always watching games. I’m always keeping up with stats, and I know who’s scored and who hasn’t and whatnot. I follow it for sure. All these awards, it’s hard to be like, “I want to get that, get that,” because there’s so many good players that have great years every year. So I’m just looking to continue to evolve my game and take another step forward next year. Myself and the team, I think we’re in the same spot in terms of both looking to continue to get better each year.”

Hughes walks the line between embracing his fan-like love for the game and staying grounded, perhaps because he understands that his success at the NHL level wasn’t always a given. He struggled in his rookie NHL season as he worked to grow his 5-foot-11, 175-pound body into NHL readiness. Four years later in Nashville, days before Connor Bedard goes No. 1, Hughes doesn’t expect the game’s new top prospect will face the same learning curve he did.

“I was like a little boy when I got drafted and I went out and played,” Hughes said. “I’m watching this guy ride on the bike, and he’s absolutely jacked, so it’s different. He’s got the frame that’s ready to go, and he’s obviously got the shot, so he’s a really special talent. I’m sure he’s got it all figured out and he seems like a really nice kid.”

Four years into his NHL career, Jack Hughes has never been closer to having it all figured out. But as he’d tell you, the work is never done.

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‘We’ve got a really wide window.’ The glory years are just beginning for Jack Hughes and the Devils

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