The Big Deal. Jack Hughes is a star. For the New Jersey Devils, #86 is the star forward. This a post once again explaining it – and three issues why some Devils fans may struggle with that reality. Consider a sort of rant.
Ever since 2019, I have referred to Jack Hughes as The Big Deal. Because he was. Because he is. Jack Hughes was drafted by the New Jersey Devils first overall in 2019. He was the best player on one of the most talent-loaded United States National Team Development Program U-18 squads ever. Jack Hughes has absolutely lived up to the nickname – which is now set in stone at Hockey Reference – and he is set to continue to do so. There has been plenty of hype ahead of Jack Hughes becoming a NHL player and now a New Jersey Devil. He has lived up to it. Here is how.
Jack Hughes is far and away the best player in the 2019 NHL Draft class as of this writing. Sure, Mortiz Seider turned out to be a smash for Detroit as he was taken far earlier than was expected at the time. Yes, Cole Caufield is a goal machine for Montreal. Indeed, Matt Boldy has been a sensation. Matias Maccelli has been the best outside of the first round and has outperformed many of the 97 people selected ahead of him. And Jack Hughes has cleared all of them. Out of the entire draft class, he is the first and only player currently over 100 goals scored. He is the first player to crack 100 assists with 167. While Boldy’s point per game rate is an impressive 0.84 per game, Jack Hughes is currently just below 0.92 per game. There are plenty of drafts where first overall ends up not being the very best player in the draft. This is not one of them. Jack Hughes is indeed #1.
Jack Hughes has already made his mark in franchise history with the 2022-23 campaign alone. The 2022-23 season saw Jack Hughes break Patrik Elias’ record for most points in a season with 99. That season also saw him put up 336 shots, the third most by any Devil in a season finishing behind Zach Parise’s 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. Hughes scored 43 goals in that season, tying him for Alexander Mogilny’s 2000-01 season for fifth most in a Devils season and becoming the ninth Devil to ever score 40 or more in a season. Hughes’ 56 assists put him in a five-way tie for fourth most ever in a season (now six thanks to Jesper Bratt last season). It is indeed one of the best seasons ever by a Devil. It was even capped off by leading the team in playoff scoring as they won their first playoff series since 2012 by eliminating Our Hated Rivals. Averaging a goal every other game, putting up 3.75 shots per game, and being the only Devil to put up more than 2 even strength goals? Jack Hughes more than handled his business in high-pressure situations. A business that makes you pay attention and take notice when he plays. Here is one video of clips for loads of examples. Here is another. And another. And even another.
And to provide even more historical context for the franchise, Jack Hughes is currently 25th all time in Devils scoring. At 281 points in 306 games, he is very likely to pass Stephane Richer, Claude Lemieux, his assistant coach Sergei Brylin, John Madden, Brian Gionta, Brian Rafalski, Pat Verbeek, and Randy McKay. In fact, should Jack Hughes come back 100% and repeat his glorious season in 2022-23, he could finish just behind Jamie Langenbrunner (he’s 13th at 385 points) and all but ensure he becomes a top-ten scorer in Devils history in 2025-26. Zach Parise’s 410 points is the current mark and Jack Hughes is well on his way to reaching that plateau. (Aside: So are Jesper Bratt and Nico Hischier, who have over 150 games more than Hughes and could break it with a 60+ point campaign in 2024-25.)
Which furthers the point that he was projected to be a star. Someone who can be the face of the franchise, something Jack Hughes is as evident by all of the promotion featuring Jack Hughes outside of schedule announcements. And a star needs to be more than just successful at their sport. Being popular off the ice is crucial for stardom. He is quite popular in that respect too. Per Sports Business Journal before last season, Jack Hughes was the second best-selling player jersey from June to October 2023, trailing only Connor Bedard. In the middle of last season, ESPN reported through February that Jack Hughes was still the second most popular jersey and the most popular one outright from February 1 to March 1 when Greg Wyshynski wrote the post. While Fanatics is not the be-all, end-all of sales, they are the primary provider for better and often worse. And the hockey jersey buying population chose Jack Hughes way over any Devil and the vast majority of the league from the 2023 offseason to this past season. Telling given how great the Devils were in 2022-23, how great the hope was for the Devils in the 2023 offseason, and how disappointing last season was. The constant: People pay good money to wear Jack Hughes.
Some even got into hockey because of Jack Hughes. And Luke Hughes. The Hockey in New Jersey program touted that their Newark program has more than doubled since they both got involved. Bauer, a brand in hockey, even did a video about some of what that looked like. That is not just an impact on a community. It speaks to how much he draws people into the game. It also speaks to their influence, which I would imagine is with prospects that we have and will see get drafted. Those looking to be serious about hockey as a career tend to start doing so around 12-14 years old. Meaning that the recent group of prospects are watching Jack (and Luke) and getting their inspiration from top players in terms of their game. Already, there is a lot in Jack Hughes’ approach to the game that a lot of young forwards would love to emulate. It is further evidence that Jack Hughes is a star.
Want a little more? Remember the 2024 NHL All-Star Game? Jack Hughes was out injured and would not participate in the skills competition or the 3-on-3 tournament. He was still asked to attend. Just to be there. Why? Because the league and its sponsors know that he is a star. And he did. Just as he showed in 2022, he has charisma to draw one’s attention. The magic helps. Does he still get asked to do things? Yep. Like this bit with the New York Giants. And the NHLPA. And Sportsnet. Viktor Arvidsson, to name an example, is not.
All told, Jack Hughes is arguably the best player on the current New Jersey Devils roster. He is an offensive force on the ice. People buy jerseys with his number on it, the league wants him in events even if he cannot actually do anything him, and there are those who get into playing hockey because of him. Jack Hughes was projected to be a star. He is a star. There was a lot of hype for Jack Hughes. He has justified it. At The Rock, at the stores, to the league, to even ESPN, to budding hockey players at various levels, and even more Jack Hughes is a star. A very big deal.
So why do some of the People Who Matter bristle at Jack Hughes being treated as such? Why do I still see some here – here in the comments and the royal here of the larger space of Devils discourse online – look to downplay him or wish he was someone else or act as if he is not what he clearly is or simply not appreciate him? Younger me and presumably others would have done a lot for the Devils to get someone of Jack Hughes’ talents. They have him and he is in control. So what’s the beef?
The simplest and correct answer is that it is the Internet. One of the best and worst things about the Internet is that you can get all kinds of takes, opinions, musings, rants, spiels, thoughts, and more about anything. From the incredibly offbase to the overly-sensitive to the most stubborn to the insightful, educated, and well-rounded. Some may wish for the old days of media people and companies gatekeeping opinions to return. I do not. And it cannot be done; one cannot remove all of the urine from the sewage system. Gross metaphor aside, the simplest reason why there is pushback at the mere thought of Jack Hughes being a star player is that there is pushback on everything you can think of and some things you cannot. It is the Internet.
That is the simplest answer. But I think there is more to it than that. This does not apply to every one critical of Jack Hughes. I think there are some specific issues that come up when Jack Hughes is mentioned. Here is a list of those issues with some thoughts for each.
Issue #1. The All-or Nothing Definition of a Star
One of the biggest issues with Jack Hughes being treated for the big deal that he is lies with the definition of a star. Stars are supposed to bring glory to the team. Lead them to championships. Raise Cups. Wear rings. Obtain trophies for his play If Jack Hughes is so good, how come the Devils have not won anything of value with him? Or Hughes himself?
The issue underlying this is that this is all-or-nothing thinking. One has a narrow definition of what a star or a franchise player or an impact player. Anything that does not fit this definition cannot be a star and those who disagree are wrong. And we must not be wrong on the Internet.
Now, I cannot tell you what is a star in your eyes. But the first half of this post pretty much lays out the reasons why Jack Hughes is a star. As far as the laments about where are the rings and where is the elevation of the team go, hockey is a team game and being a top player far from guarantees you from success. Lots of great players in the NHL and even all of sports go without getting even one ring. And plenty of OK to good players have heaps of them and/or are parts of great teams. Kevin Lowe, who knows a thing or two about winning, has six of them. He was not even close to being one of the two best defensemen for either of his teams he won them with. He is not on par with the likes of Larry Robinson (who has six) or better than defenders like Dennis Potvin
I also repeat that hockey is a team game. Great players can only do so much to elevate a not-so-good team or a poorly-coached team. Hughes, with a bad shoulder, did his best last season, still put up 70 points amid a season swirling down the drain. Even though he was not the only Devil who had a good season – Bratt was on another level – they could not prevent the slide. That is not their individual faults, that is a team failure. Similarly, look to Tampa Bay. They were bounced in 5 games by Florida in the first round. That does not mean the league’s leading scorer Nikita Kucherov was a compiling bum with oodles of points. No. He was and still is great (and a pain to play against, I’m sure). Again: One player can only do so much to hide the flaws with a squad that can prevent the team from achieving greatness.
Therefore, it does not make sense to claim that Jack Hughes cannot be all that and a bag of chips because New Jersey has yet to win a Cup with him. Especially in a world where Connor McDavid has not even done so with Edmonton, despite dropping the first 40-point playoff run since Mario and Wayne and putting Florida on the brink of an epic choke job. If McDavid and Hughes (and I’ll add in Auston Matthews, Connor Bedard, Leon Draisaitl, Roman Josi, and add in some others if you’d like) are not seen as stars for not doing everything to get that ring or not getting that ring at all (hi, Joe Thornton), then I think the definition is flawed.
Issue #2. The Hype is the Killer
There is an aversion among fans of all kinds for hype in general. I am old enough to remember why Devils fans and many others jeered (and still jeer) Sidney Crosby. Crosby was hyped up as being a special player in the 2000s. He was The Next One. Someone to turn a team around and build around and be one of the best ever. And many wanted to see him fall flat on his face because they felt he was pushed down people’s throats by the league and the media. So seeing him spend the first few seasons lipping off at officials for every possible slight only justified that. If you’re wondering where the crybaby reputation came from, it was that. Seeing him not immediately make Pittsburgh great (See Issue #1) pleased those that hoped he would fail. The hype around Crosby was the most until McDavid and Matthews. Even more than Alexander Ovechkin.
It may seem quaint now but I witnessed it. It took a lot for Crosby to get his proper due even when the hockey media knew he was indeed that special. It was a while ago, but Crosby put up 102 points in his rookie season, won the Hart and the Art Ross in his second season, and put up 51 goals (a career high) in his fifth season. What changed for his rep? Pittsburgh getting really good helped. The last two seasons are just the second and third time Crosby did not appear in the playoffs. The first was his rookie season. Winning the Cup in 2009 really helped, getting that Winner status that some require to be seen as a star. Getting the Hart and Art Ross trophies in Season #2 helped. Coming back from concussions and other injuries further justified that Crosby may have had a point about those liberties he was dealing with. And, no, the “deterrence” from others did not stop it. And the grind of just constantly showing off how much better he actually was compared to the league. The latter took time but it is paying off. Of course, putting up back-to-back 90+ point seasons at age 35 and 36 adds to the legacy. All of this led many fans to admit that, yeah, the tons of hype for Crosby was real and he really is one of the best to ever do it.
I did not write all. Again, this is the Internet so I am sure there is someone still salty about how much hype Crosby got and do not think he deserved all of it. This is a player with two MVPs, currently sitting at 10th all-time in points, 14th all-time in assists, and has (and will?) do it all for one organization.
To that end, I think there are still some among the People Who Matter who remain sour about the hype Jack Hughes has and does get. And until Jack Hughes does and accomplishes more as a Devil and in the NHL, the feeling will remain. Even when the facts point to someone meeting the hype already. Alas, feelings do not care about facts.
Issue #3. He’s…well…Different
This can mean a bunch of different things to others and it ties in well with #1 and/or #2 on this list. I believe Sean “DownGoesBrown” McIndoe once wrote something to the effect that whatever hockey was when you were around 14 (or whenever you got into the game) is what you will fall in love with and will want hockey to remain. That may not be the exact quote but the sentiment is very real.
This certainly tracks in other sports. Basketball fans, to this day, argue between Michael Jordan and LeBron James as to who is the GOAT with all kinds of stubbornness and frankly odd arguments from either side. One of the cores of that divide is a generation gap. If you grew up with MJ, then he’s the one. If you grew up with James, then he’s the one. Watch both scratch their heads when someone else comes along to challenge their crowns. Dare I suggest: Victor Wembanyama one day?
Or even look to forms of entertainment. There are communities of music, movie, art, and game fans where their lament how bad the current thing is because it was not like how it was when they were younger. Is there some truth to things not always getting better? Of course, there can be. But when the root of a beef goes down to “Well, it’s different from what I’m used to and so I don’t like it,” then something is being missed here.
This is I think a bigger issue among those still cool on Jack Hughes after all these years from the People Who Matter. Despite what you may think, I am 41 and I grew up in the glory years of the organization. I watched all three Cups won. I was upset at 1994 and 2001. I can say I watched Martin Brodeur from start to finish. The New Jersey Devils were synonymous with defense, well-structured play, and being built from Brodeur out. They were not known for offense – except for the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 teams. They were led by Scott Stevens, a hit machine built and playing like a linebacker; Scott Niedermayer, a two-way defenseman that has become the template for many defenders today; and Brodeur, the most accomplished goaltender ever. They had checking line excellence from John Madden and Jay Pandolfo. They stuck to the 1-2-2 from 1994 and never looked back. Patrik Elias had the skill to do it all and he did it all in three zones. They were seen as having interchangeable parts in that those who fit the system could thrive and the team was only reliant on a smaller core. I saw it. I loved it. I love it. I get it.
Here is the harsh truth: It is not 1995 anymore. It is not 2000 anymore. It is not 2003 anymore. It is not even 2001 or 1994. And I question if this game is like 2012’s either. I know that the great Devils teams were built around pillars of a legendary goaltender and a blueline led by legends. But that was then. This is now. Things are different now. The game has emphasized speed, skill, and offensive plays. There is no red lin Yes, successful teams still need effective defense and goaltending. But they are not commandments. No one ever came down a mountain with a tablet claiming Thou Shalt Line Up a Defensive Defenseman with an Offensive Defenseman or Thou Shalt Not Have Just an OK Goaltender. Detroit’s 1990s Cups betrayed that one anyway.
Yes, Florida did keep McDavid quiet in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. They did not for most of the six games they nearly blew. Sergey Bobrovsky has a great career but he is not on that Brodeur/Roy/Hasek level and he was a bad Game 7 away from never being seen as close to it. Florida salvaged their Cup with defense, they did not get all the way there solely on its back. Given the 2024 NHL Draft and the 2024 offseason, the other 31 teams did not take the lesson from Florida’s Cup that they need to go back to the old ways of the mid-1990s to early-2000s Devils. I don’t think Florida did that either. Most teams’ takeaway was to Get Bigger. Just ask Tom Fitzgerald.
The larger point is that if you are like me and you grew up with those great memories of those great teams that brought trophies to East Rutherford, then you may be lamenting how the Devils have been built. The franchise player is not a goaltender or a defenseman. It is Jack Hughes. A forward who is not big. A center who does not win many faceoffs. A guy who attacks a lot but is not an amazing defender. I could continue down the other paths about how different Hughes given the – ahem – current climate of online discourse, but you get my point so I will not go down that path. (And do not make me.) He is so different from the players who made up the core of the 1995, 2000, or 2003 Devils teams.
The closest player from those teams to compare with Hughes’ skill level is Elias – and he was an all-three zone machine. Hughes, despite his awesome 5-on-5 numbers that Elias also had (post-2008), does not have that reputation. While some will say that Hughes cannot do everything Elias did, I would say Elias probably could not do the things Hughes does so well. Still, as great as Elias was, he was not seen as the major factor on those Cup teams. The perception and some of the reality remained focused on Brodeur and the two Scotts followed by a neutral zone trap. Hughes being the main man of the current franchise runs counter to those days. And the difference is even larger when you consider the other core players the Devils currently have: Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, and Dougie Hamilton. None of them are like Stevens. It is questionable if Hamilton is even like Niedermayer or even Rafalski. The team built around forwards? Offensive forwards? The A Line was one thing but this is not it. These are not the Devils of my youth.
And that is issue #3. It’s different. And since I don’t know if it will be good, it must be challenged. From there, I can see the nitpicking about Jack Hughes not always giving the greatest interview. And the wishing that he could be big like Matthew Tkachuk. Presumably better than he was in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals series. And the rolling of eyes when he correctly complains about Viktor Arvidsson trying to take him down and states that people pay to see him. Which people actually do. And the idea that Jack Hughes just has to do more to be seen as being special – despite all that he has done so far. Since this would come from a personal memory or feeling, the gap can only be breached if something special happens and one is willing to acknowledge that it may be different – and it is OK.
Why Even Write This?
I know, a common question to plenty of posts that I write. It has been something I have observed for quite some time and it has been in the back of my mind to explore why more Devils fans are not embracing Jack Hughes. In writing all of this out, I think I get it. Jack Hughes is different. He may meet a common definition of a star but that does not have to be your definition. Hughes was hyped up and hype is a deterrent for some. I think those are the main issues keeping more from appreciating The Big Deal. I went into this post thinking it could be persuasive. Instead, I am left with sighing it is what it is. This is the Internet. No one will ever get 100% approval. So why bother?
Because I think it is valuable, as a fan, to highlight when great players are great. To explain why a top-tier player is a top-tier player. When someone exceptional comes along, even if it is different than what I grew up with and fell in love with the team and sport, I have learned it is far better to learn and appreciate what makes them exceptional. Proper appreciation. Not this cutsey, online-journalist-approved soft sell of “Player X scored 4 goals in a game, I guess he’s pretty OK.” You may not like my use of numbers from Natural Stat Trick? With Jack Hughes, you do not need to, you will notice him when he is on the ice at the Rock and elsewhere. And many get this and appreciate this and appropriately treat him like the star player that he actually is.
Recognizing and acknowledging this is a far better use of time. Going back to the basketball comparison, you can exalt MJ and James and even others. Much more than trying to argue that he is not so great until he meets some set of criteria that someone else or I do not recall ever agreeing to. Or that the hype around the player makes it hard to cheer for them. Or that because the player is not exactly like a star player from the 1970s or 1980s or 1990s (where I would be) or 2000s or even 2010s, then he must not be. Are these all views? Yeah. Are they based in fact? Not always. Not usually. And as Jack Hughes continues to progress, he will continue to show that he is indeed a star. Oddly with some vocal Devils fans online, People Who Matter, trying to argue otherwise to prove some kind of point. I think it is a feeling and feelings do not care about facts. Alas, I continue to sigh: it is what it is.
So I shall keep on. I shall keep pointing out how great Jack Hughes has been as a Devil as I see it. And how great other players are. And how that whatever issues the team may have does not necessarily dull the shine from Hughes. You may not like the nickname, but Jack Hughes is the Big Deal on the New Jersey Devils. Now watch him take first in the upcoming 2024 All About the Jersey Top 25 Devils Under 25 list. Again. Thank you for reading.