Jack Hughes has played in every arena in the NHL. He understands a good crowd and a bad crowd. The New Jersey Devils aren't always a team opponents get up for, but once they are on the ice, Hughes and his teammates can get the best out of opponents. That also brings the best out of crowds.
There are some arenas that come with that type of energy better than others. Hughes has said on multiple occasions how great Devils fans can be at the Prudential Center. After he returned from the Olympics and scoring the Golden Goal, Hughes made a speech to the crowd about how great it was to be back in New Jersey.
However, we must acknowledge when an opposing crowd is rocking. All Devils-Rangers games bring out the best in the crowds. Even when the Manhattan contingent travels across the Hudson River, it's still an amazing atmosphere.
And despite how Hughes steps up when he's playing the Rangers, that wasn't the team he said was the best road crowd.
Jack Hughes thinks the Lenovo Center is the best road arena in the league
The Hurricanes have built a reputation as a team that overwhelms opponents with pace and structure. Under head coach Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina plays an aggressive forechecking system that forces mistakes all over the ice.
Opposing teams rarely get time to settle into the game. And the fanbase joins in that. The fanbase is suffocating, and the atmosphere is exhilarating. Despite Carolina not being a traditional hockey market, the fans that are there are losing their minds.
On ESPN's The Pat McAfee Show, Hughes said that Carolina was the "hardest rink to play in."
"Carolina is probably the hardest rink to play in because of their fans and the way that they play"@jhugh86 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/bcVoCAXaJP
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 19, 2026
The Devils have had trouble playing in the Lenovo Center over the years. Obviously, the last two times the Devils have been in the playoffs, they lost to the Hurricanes. On top of that, the Devils are 0-6 in those series on the road.
The question was referencing why road teams were playing so well, but Hughes clearly doesn't think the Devils play very well in Carolina. They haven't beaten the Hurricanes on the road since January 2023. The arena was the PNC Arena back then. Since then, they've lost eight-straight games in Raleigh.
"I really do hate to give (Hurricanes fans) that, but it is a rocking spot. They get after it in that building. "Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils center
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