Revisiting the Hughes Bowls | FEATURE 

No matter how long the Hughes brothers will end up playing in the National Hockey League, no matter how many games they end up playing against one another, the storyline just won’t get old.

Quinn, Jack and Luke are remarkable talents. And even more so, they all come from the same family. Three brothers. Three stars in the NHL.

That’s why any time the New Jersey Devils and the Vancouver Canucks square off, the limelight shines even brighter on the three brothers. Not only for their remarkable talent, but they also happen to be the first trio of American-born brothers to all be drafted in the top 10 of the NHL Draft: Quinn (17th pick, 2018 NHL Draft), Jack (1st, 2019), Luke (4th, 2021).

On Wednesday, another edition of the Hughes Bowl will take center stage. Let’s revisit all the Hughes v. Hughes NHL matchups leading up to this point.

Oct. 19, 2019

Devils 1, Canucks 0
Prudential Center

You couldn’t have written the script better – for Jack – in the first edition of Jack vs. Quinn in the NHL. It was actually the first time the two brothers went up against one another in competition.

Ever since Jack had been drafted, Devils fans were anxiously awaiting for an explosive moment: his first NHL goal.

And boy, did it come in the most dramatic of ways.

Against his brother in the NHL for the first time, Jack Hughes scored the first goal of his NHL career at 14:08 of the first period on the power play, sending the Prudential Center crowd into absolute mayhem.

The Hughes brothers had parents Jim and Ellen Hughes in the crowd, along with roughly 70 friends and family members for the big game. Most were wearing apparel with both Canucks and Devils logos on them – not one to pick sides.

With his goal, Jack became the youngest player in NHL history - at 18 years, 158 days - to score the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win.

It was a big 10-day span for the Hughes family, with Quinn scoring his first career goal just 10 days prior.

Point Total:
Jack: 1 (1g)
Quinn: 0

Nov. 10, 2019

Devils 2, Canucks 1
Rogers Arena

So, they meet again. This time, in Quinn’s barn and once again with family and friends in the crowd in Vancouver.

This game offered a little less of the Hughes Brothers theatrics, with just Quinn picking up an assist on Brock Boeser’s second-period power-play goal.

The brothers are now even in points. One for Jack, one for Quinn. Although Jack’s Devils were 2-0-0 against Quinn’s Canucks.

Point Total:
Jack: 1 (1g)
Quinn: 1 (1a)

Feb. 28, 2022

Devils 7, Canucks 2
Prudential Center

With the pause and change in schedule for the Covid seasons, it had been a while since Jack and Quinn went up against one another, but the third edition finally arrived in February, 2022.

Younger brother Jack had the upperhand in this one. Not only did his team put up seven goals, but he put together his first two-point night against his brother; an assist and an empty-net goal did the trick.

The Devils now held the 3-0-0 edge against the Canucks.

Point Total:
Jack: 3 (2g-1a)
Quinn: 1 (1a)

March 15, 2022

Canucks 6, Devils 3
Rogers Arena

It was bound to happen. At some point, Quinn and the Canucks were going to break through, and it was on March 15, 2022, that they finally earned a win against Jack’s Devils.

But then there were the individual stats. And well, Jack did very Jack-like things.

Scoring his 19^th goal of the season at 4:25 of the second period, adding another goal to his total tally against the Canucks, and followed that up with an assist in the second period on a Nathan Bastian goal for a three-point night.

Quinn also earned an assist in the game, his coming on Bo Horvat’s second period goal.

The Canucks take a bite out of the Devils record, which then stood at 3-1-0.

Point Total:
Jack: 5 (3g-2a)
Quinn: 2 (2a)

Nov. 1, 2023

Devils 5, Canucks 2
Prudential Center

We’re now entering the fourth season of Jack vs. Quinn, the final one in which the attention will be just on the two of them as Luke Hughes, drafted by the Devils, was still ripening with the Michigan Wolverines.

It just so happened to be another two-point night for Jack, an assist on Nico Hischier’s opening goal of the game at 4:36 of the first and an empty-net goal at 18:58. On the other side of the ice Quinn walked away with a secondary assist on Horvat’s goal at 16:23 of the second period.

The Devils re-take their three-game edge over the Canucks, the record now standing in their favor, 4-1-0.

Point Total:
Jack: 7 (4g-3a)
Quinn: 3 (3a)

Feb. 6, 2023

Devils 5, Canucks 4 OT
Rogers Arena

This was a mighty wild one for the Devils and full of action. It was also the first three-point night for Jack against the Canucks.

The evening started off for Jack with a goal at 17:48 of the first period, which started a string of four straight goals for New Jersey, scored by just two players: Jack and Ondrej Palat. Palat scored two goals in 28 seconds, followed by yet another Jack goal, his 35^th of the year, 22 seconds after Palat’s.

It was looking good, the Devils holding a 4-1 lead, until suddenly, the Canucks struck back with three goals and this game was headed to overtime.

And there it was, the third point of the night for Jack, an assist on Jesper Bratt’s game-winning overtime goal.

The Devils built on their Hughes Bowl edge, now leading the charge 5-1-0.

Point Total:
Jack: 10 (6g-4a)
Quinn: 3 (3a)

Dec. 5, 2023

Devils 6, Canucks 5
Rogers Arena

Now things were at a whole new level of attention. It was no longer just Quinn versus Jack, but here comes baby brother Luke.

All three brothers are on the ice in the same NHL game. And all three brothers would leave with at least a point. Perhaps calculating individual points isn’t entirely fair, two being defensemen and Jack a forward, but this game had a bit of everything for each brother.

It was another multi-point outing for Jack with a goal and an assist in the first period.

And then, a Hughes from Hughes goal.

Luke wires up a shot, fresh off a pass from his older brother Jack and it hits the back of the net. A second period power-play goal for Luke, his first against the Canucks and just his fourth career goal, assisted by his brother Jack.

Quinn, in the midst of his Norris Trophy season, assisted on two Canucks goals. The Hughes brothers combining for six points in the game.

“I always enjoy playing Quinn and seem to have good games in Vancouver against him,” said Jack after the game. “It was a nice win and pretty fun to play with both my brothers.”

“It’s bittersweet right now,” Quinn added. “I’m sure they’re appreciating it more than I am right now.”

The Devils take the 6-1-0 edge over the Cancuks since both, and now three, Hughes brothers have suited up against one another.

Point Total:

Jack: 13 (7g-6a)
Luke: 1 (1g)
Quinn: 5 (5a)

Jan. 16, 2024

Canucks 6, Devils 4
Prudential Center

In what would have been just the second installment of all three Hughes brothers in an NHL game together, ended up being just eldest versus youngest Hughes.

Jack, the middle brother, was out with an upper-body injury and could not play.

Quinn had his biggest game yet against the Devils, with a three-assist night to lead his team to just their second victory over New Jersey since 2019. Luke would add an assist in the game that provided this incredible sound-bite between the two brothers.

Final Point Total:
Jack: 7 gp, 13 (7g-6a)
Luke: 2 gp, 2 (1g-1a)
Quinn: 8 gp, 8 (8a)

And this is where the matchup currently stands as the Devils travel westward to British Columbia to start a three-game road trip through Western Canada.

The Devils hold the 6-2-0 edge against Vancouver, and are looking to make it seven wins when the two teams meet on Oct. 30 at Rogers Arena, the ninth edition of the Hughes Bowl. So far, it's lived up to every expectation. Not a game between the brothers goes by where at least one of them doesn't earn a point.

Who will have the upperhand this time around? Will Quinn score his first goal against his brothers? Will Jack continue to dominate the matchup?

Tune in on Wednesday night to find out!