Jack Hughes has had a very up-and-down NHL regular season. A freak accident with his hand and a small injury right before the break have kept him from playing a full season once again, but there is no denying his impact on the ice when he is out there.
Team USA is seeing the benefits of having him on their roster, as he played a big role in them getting to the Gold Medal game. On Friday, they reached that goal with a 6-2 win over Simon Nemec and Slovakia.
Hughes' first impactful play of the game was during the first period when he drew a penalty that put the United States on the power play. Already up 1-0, Tage Thompson scored a beautiful goal with the man-advantage to give the team a 2-0 lead.
In the second period, Jack Hughes scored two goals to help the team get out to a 5-0 lead. The first one was a great move he made at even strength, while the second was a well-set-up power play goal with the second unit out there.
Slovakia was a nice story throughout the tournament, but the grit and firepower of Team USA were too much for them on this day. When Nemec returns to the Devils next week, he should have a new level of confidence that he gained from this tournament.
There were questions about Hughes' place on this team coming in. He was dealing with a minor injury, but it is obvious that he was more than ready by the time the puck dropped for the first game. He's been incredible in every game, regardless of what the competition level is.
Jack is now up to three goals and three assists for six points in five games played. He is guaranteed to be a point-per-game Olympian now, but he can be so much more than that in the final game.
Team USA is going to play against Team Canada in a rematch of the 4-Nations Face-Off championship. It is looking like one of the games of the decade in terms of anticipation.
It is obvious that Jack truly enjoys playing with his brother Quinn. They have chemistry when they are on the ice together, but even when they're not, they feed off each other emotionally. They are obsessed with landing the Gold Medal in Milan.
Now, their biggest test awaits. Team Canada has looked vulnerable in recent games, but they continue to find ways to win. Their star power is right there with that of the United States.
If Jack Hughes continues to drive offense with his skating and vision as he has up to this point, Team USA has a chance. He is supposed to be a depth forward on this team behind Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, and the Tkachuk brothers, but he is showing the world what Devils fans already know: he's a game-breaking superstar.
Without the Hughes brothers, Team USA wouldn't have gotten past Sweden and the other games wouldn't have fallen their way in as dominant a fashion. Now, it is on them to bring it on the biggest stage they've ever played on.