3. Jack Hughes
2019 NHL Draft
Jack Hughes is the best player in the 2019 NHL Draft, and it’s not particularly close. Moritz Seider is a really good defenseman. Cole Caufield is an absolute sniper. Matthew Boldy is really good up in Minnesota. Dustin Wolf could win the Calder Trophy this season. Hughes clears all of them by miles.
Hughes has 338 points in the NHL, more than 100 points over the next guy. He’s not even considered a massive goal scorer, but he has 27 more goals than Caufield, who is second in this draft. Hughes’s offensive skills are some of the best in the league. At his best, he might have the best puck-handling skills in hockey. The Devils have a superstar on their hands.
Now, this is still early, but unlike the 2021 NHL Draft, this one feels like it’s cooked. Hughes seems to be on a trajectory to be a 1,000-point player. Nobody else in this draft appears to be that good.
Not only is Hughes a great player, but he’s a marketing dream for the NHL. He is dynamic and fun to watch, but he’s also an American player who’s bringing more eyes to the game. He’s always at the top of the merch sales list, and he’s one of the top stars for the 4 Nation’s Face-Off. It’s crazy that the Devils have one of these stars.