The forwards were the No. 1 picks in the past two NHL Drafts (Hughes in the 2019 NHL Draft by the New Jersey Devils, Lafreniere in the 2020 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers).
"We need Jack to concentrate on the Devils," New Jersey general manager Tom Fitzgerald said Thursday. "The silver lining for Jack and all of our young players
. The 19-year-old forward helped Finland win the 2019 WJC as a 17-year-old, when he scored five points (two goals, three assists) in seven games, including the game-winning goal against the United States in the championship game.
The 2021 WJC is scheduled to be held Dec. 25 to Jan. 5 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, with no fans in the building and in a secure zone similar to what the NHL used for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Teams are scheduled to arrive in Edmonton on Dec. 13.
Hughes last played for the United States at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship in Vancouver, British Columbia. At that tournament, he had four assists in four games, missing three games because of injury, to help the United States finish second. Last season, Hughes was not loaned by the Devils to participate in the 2020 WJC in the Czech Republic.
"[Hughes] has had a good offseason. It was extended, so it allowed him to dig in more on the physiological side," Devils assistant general manager Dan MacKinnon said. "We were fortunate our field strength and conditioning coach, Mike Kadar, is based out of the Plymouth, Michigan, where Jack and his family live and spend the offseason. [Hughes] added some lean muscle mass and all his numbers went in the right direction, regarding speed and explosiveness.
"You've got to get that first year under your belt, especially as a highly skilled offensive player. We're confident his second year is going to be better, and his third year will be another step, so we're looking for good things."
The 2021 WJC will be televised by NHL Network.
