What Hughes may lack in size, he more than makes up for in smarts and skating. That's a big reason why the 2018 draft eligible defenceman hasn't looked out of place pitted against older competition at the 2018 IIHF World Championship in Denmark.
"His hockey sense, his hockey IQ, I think is the thing that strikes you right off the bat," Michigan coach Mel Pearson said. "I've been around a lot of hockey payers, guys who have played at the highest level, but his sense of the game and his poise and patience for such a young player...his first two games, he's out against 24-, 25-year-guys, and he's 17 and he can handle it."
Hughes is yet another top defenceman in this draft that excels in the offensive zone and he attributes his poise with the puck to the fact that he was a forward until the age of 13.
"As a forward you have the puck a lot when you're younger," Hughes
told NHL.com
. "When you transition to defence the puck skills are still there. I think that definitely helped."
It's Hughes' transition game that has had scouts salivating and many have described him as the best skater available. He possess the type of mobility that NHL teams are looking for in defencemen to help combate the influx of speedy forwards as the game becomes quicker. It's these attributes that could see Hughes' stock continue to rise as Draft Day gets closer.
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