Which New Jersey Devils Players Could Play In 2026 Olympics?

Team USA

Jack Hughes

If Jack Hughes isn’t one of the best American centers playing in the game by the year 2026, it will be a colossal failure from multiple angles. He has struggled since coming back from his shoulder injury, but he’s showing flashes of his superstar self every night. He needs to get a little better at scoring, but there’s a chance that Hughes is one of the top six centers on the team in 2026. Jack Eichel and Auston Mattews will still be there, so there’s a good chance that Hughes slots himself as the third-line guy. That will still be a great experience for him, and he should have himself some amazing wingers to play with.

Luke Hughes

It could be a brotherly affair in Italy, as Luke Hughes has shown immense growth this season with the University of Michigan hockey squad. It’s more than likely he is going to spend another year in Ann Arbor before he joins the New Jersey Devils squad who took him fourth overall in this past year’s NHL Draft. A lot has to go right for Luke Hughes to make the Olympic team as a 22 year old, but it’s far from impossible. If he continues on his current trajectory, he might be one of the best young defensemen in the league at that point.

There are a few omissions here. Tyce Thompson is a player the Devils had high hopes for, but his injury history is starting to get long. He hasn’t been able to prove anything so far. Miles Wood is an interesting candidate, but his speed might drop as he gets older, and it would take away his greatest weapon. Reilly Walsh is having a good season in the AHL, but he has a long way to go to be one of the six best young American defensemen in the world.