Luke Hughes
has one last chance to do something neither of his NHL-playing brothers could with the United States -- win a gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship.
"We hope it happens," said his brother, New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes. "We need a World Junior gold in our household, so we'd love to see him bring it home, and it'd be really special for the Americans."
Quinn Hughes, a defenseman with the Vancouver Canucks, helped the U.S. finish third in 2018 and second in 2019. Jack played with Quinn on the 2019 team.
Luke, selected No. 4 by the Devils in the 2021 NHL Draft and a sophomore defenseman at the University of Michigan, will do all he can to make it happen while keeping focus on the big picture as U.S. captain.
"It'd be really cool ... my dad keeps all of our memorabilia, and I think that'd be awesome," Luke said. "But more importantly, I think it's bigger than me and this team. We're representing our country and our jersey, so it starts with building, getting tight, learning the systems, and getting better every day. I'll worry about that other stuff later on."
The 2023 WJC will be held in Moncton and Halifax, Nova Scotia, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. The United States will play in Group B in the preliminary round, along with Finland, Switzerland, Slovakia and Latvia. Group A consists of Canada, the defending champion, along with Sweden, Czechia, Germany and Austria.
Hughes is laser-focused on the task at hand entering the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. He represented his country at the 2022 tournament in August and had six points (one goal, five assists), becoming the first of the siblings to score at the WJC.
"We talk about the skating, but it's also the mindset that Luke Hughes has," TSN director of scouting and former NHL general manager Craig Button said. "It's that ability to recognize and say
(Devils) and forward
Rutger McGroarty
(Winnipeg Jets) have had an up-close view of the impact of Hughes as teammates at Michigan.
"His skating is off the charts, and he's got confidence and swagger out there," Casey said. "He can kind of make any play and he does it with confidence."
McGroarty said, "There's been a couple of times where Luke beats the first guy, beats the second guy and I'm just sitting there thinking, 'I'm witnessing greatness here.'"
Hughes will likely begin his pursuit of a gold medal paired with left-handed shooter
Jack Peart
(Minnesota Wild), who has 15 points (two goals, 13 assists) in 18 games for St. Cloud State this season.
"He knows what up, he's been there before, he's done it and knows what's going on," Jack Hughes said. "But it's his last experience at the World Juniors. It's not like one of those world tournaments where you get to go back and play. It'll be the last time he's eligible, so go enjoy it and try to bring home a medal for the U.S."
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