Luke Hughes faces Devils' high expectations, family legacy as NHL rookie
Written by I Dig SportsNEWARK, N.J. -- Hockey world domination wasn't something the Hughes brothers discussed all that much while growing up.
"You don't even talk about it. You're in the basement playing mini-sticks and it's inconceivable," Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils said. "To get one kid into the NHL is really hard. To get three kids into the NHL as teenagers? It's crazy."
But as the 2023-24 season begins, the Hughes brotherhood is set to take over the NHL.
Defenseman Quinn Hughes, 23, enters his sixth season after scoring at nearly a point-per-game pace in 2022-23, having been named the new captain of the Vancouver Canucks last month. Jack Hughes, 22, posted 99 points last season and led the Devils to their first postseason series win since 2012. Jack's sibling teammate Luke Hughes, 20, made his NHL debut during that Devils playoff run and is poised to play a key role as a puck-moving defenseman during his rookie season.
"You knew the day was coming when Luke got drafted, but now it's here," Jack said. "If someone told us this would happen when we were kids, we'd never believe them. This is definitely a dream come true."
"It's pretty surreal that I get to play with my brother," Jack added. "It should be a blast."