Hughes, Devils Committed to Each Other for Long Haul | FEATURE

Ever since the tender age of 18, when the Devils selected him with the first-overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, Jack Hughes has called Jersey home.
And thanks to an eight-year, $64-million contract extension ($8 million average annual value), it will remain home for the foreseeable future.
"When New Jersey drafted me, I didn't know much about it," Hughes, 20, admitted with a smile. "But I love being in New Jersey. I love playing in New Jersey. I think we're really building something special.
"I think this contract shows that the team is extremely invested in me, and I'm really dedicated to the organization. Mutually, we're both really excited."
The contract puts Hughes in a Devils uniform until he's (at least) 29 years old, meaning he will mature as a man and hockey player in the Garden State, truly made in Jersey.
"I will have lived here at least 11 years by the end of this contract," Hughes said. "I've dedicated most of my adult life to New Jersey."

The Devils are in the midst of a rebuild with Hughes being one of the cornerstones to the team's future. The contract not only keeps Hughes in black and red for over a decade; it also signifies the stabilization of a major piece of the team down the road.
"It's a big day for the organization, today and the future. Jack Hughes is a hell of a player and we're betting on him," general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. "I think it shows the commitment that Jack and his family has made to us, and in the same breath how (managing partners) David (Blitzer) and Josh (Harris) have made a commitment to Jack Hughes.
"It's a great day for us. We're building something here. Adding this big piece, Jack Hughes and what he can bring to this organization and this league is super exciting."
The Devils believe in the impact Hughes will have on the franchise for the present and future. In fact, despite having only played two full NHL seasons, he's already had an effect on the fan base.
"There are a lot of 86 (jerseys) out there when I look around," Hughes said. "The fans really appreciate me here. I'm just extremely thankful to be a New Jersey Devil. The fans are awesome. They've treated me like gold ever since I've come here.
"Now I have to return the favor and be a star for the next decade. I know it'll come, and I know it'll happen. It's an extremely exciting time in New Jersey."
On a microeconomic level, Hughes' signing means the Devils will have his blossoming star talents on the ice secure for a least a decade.
Hughes' attributes on the ice are obvious. His creativity with the puck, his on-ice vision and intelligence at reading the play, his escape-ability and stick handling in tight spaces, his precision passing and his ability to finish are the makings of a legitimate talent in the league.
Hughes had somewhat of a breakthrough campaign in 2020-21. Though his numbers read 11 goals and 31 points in 56 games, the truth is Hughes played better than the numbers suggested. If not for leading the league in posts hit or his teammates inability at times to finish the plays he set up, Hughes would have had a more robust stat line. But he certainly passed the eye test, and he has high aspirations for himself.
"I know a lot of people expect a lot out of me. I'm at the top of the chart there," Hughes said. "I believe I'm going to be a superstar in the league and I'm well on my way."
Fitzgerald has called Hughes the "driver" of the team's offense, and he loves the ambitions of his recently signed pivot.
"He's one confident individual. But to be great, you have to be confident," the GM said. "The great ones will tell you the same thing. They never doubt themselves because of their ability, their passion, their work ethic, their commitment to their sport. I see the same thing with Jack. It's refreshing to see that to be honest because he is confident and then he backs it up with his play.
"Looking toward the future, here we are and believe that this kid is ready to come on the scene as one of the league's best."
On a macroeconomic level, Hughes' signing means the Devils are taking a big step in its quest to contend for a Stanley Cup title.
"To build something great you have to be committed and you want to be part of something," Fitzgerald said. "Jack Hughes definitely wants to be part of something great here. He's a huge piece of that."
The Devils have built their talent through the draft with Hughes, fellow first-overall pick and captain Nico Hischier, Dawson Mercer, Jesper Bratt, Ty Smith, Mackenzie Blackwood and supplementing via trades and free agency with Dougie Hamilton, Ryan Graves and Andreas Johnsson.
Down the road that group will be joined by the talents of first-round picks Shakir Mukhamadullin, Alexander Holtz and, Jack's younger brother, Luke Hughes.
Jack Hughes signed with the Devils for the long-haul because he believes in what the team is doing for the long-haul.
"We have a great young core starting with myself and Nico," Hughes said. "We're building something really special here. We've picked up some great pieces but we're building from within. Down the road we can be a serious contender."
Not only will Hughes grow as a Jersian over the next eight years, he will also come of age as an adult and player alongside the team's other prospects and future.
"I've got some really good buddies on this team and down the road we'll have my little brother," he said. "I'm extremely fortunate. We want to win. That's the end goal. I believe in what we're doing here. I think we have a great chance to win in these next eight years that I'm here."
Jersey has become a desired destination for NHL talent. Those that come here want to stay here. And those who want to stay here want to win here. That was never more evident than when the best player on the 2021 free agent market, Hamilton, signed a seven-year deal with the team. And it's even more true now with Hughes committing himself to the organization for another eight seasons.
"The commitment that Jack has made and the commitment we've made in him is really just the start for where we want to go and believe in what kind of organization that we're going to have here in years to come," Fitzgerald said. "I do believe when people come here, they realize how great it is to live here, the building, the fan base, where we're going as an organization and as a team. You want people to want to be here."
Of course, the commitment really starts at the top. Harris and Blitzer have opened coffers and spent the money to ice a championship team, whether it was the $63 million to Hamilton over the summer or now $64 million to Hughes Tuesday night.
"David and Josh are wonderful to work for. They're very transparent. They want to put the best product on the ice, world class," Fitzgerald said. "We're trying to do it internally with the best office staff, best hockey ops staff, and watch how it spills onto the ice to get the best product possible. They are committed.
"The great organizations in history tell you having commitment from ownership down through the CEOs, the presidents, the general managers, the coaches and down to the players, it's contagious and exciting at the same time."
Fitzgerald has often referred to New Jersey as a "hidden gem" as a home.
"If you want the city living you have that in Jersey City and Hoboken. You can go right into the city," he said. "If you want the suburbs, they're some of the best in the country, family and school systems. Golf courses. Not to mention this world class arena (Prudential Center). It's one-stop shopping. You come here to practice, you come here to play games. There's a lot to like, that's why I call it a hidden gem."
Hughes certainly agrees. Otherwise, he wouldn't pledge the best years of his youth and hockey career to the area.
Or, as Hughes himself put it: "I wouldn't want to play anywhere else."