We knew this offseason was going to bring rumors of Jack Hughes’s departure. Nothing about actual facts matter here. The rumor mill is going to churn whatever it feels like when the narrative fits the click rate.
Hughes has said on multiple occasions that he loves playing in New Jersey. He gets all the sparkle of playing near New York City without the annoyance of New York attention and media. He has, likely, millions of dollars in sponsorships that he wouldn’t be getting in Minnesota or Vegas or Florida or wherever he goes next.
And he’s playing with his brother. That’s why the extra year on the contract he signed last season was so important. Hughes wants to get all his brothers on the same team. He spends his summers with his brothers. And yet, he’s going to force his way out of New Jersey when Luke Hughes is on the team?
The logic just isn’t here. Hughes also has something that the other players who are requesting trades have, and that’s a lack of control. Hughes currently has the most valuable contract in the NHL. He’s making $8 million for four more years. So, not only will a team have to pony up for the player, but they have to add two more premium pieces because of the contract.
But there’s something else insanely good about the contract. Hughes doesn’t have a full no-trade clause. Heck, right now, he has zero trade protection. Until July 1st, Hughes can be traded to Ottawa, Utah, Seattle, or even if Arizona gets a new team by then, they can send him packing there. And after July 1st, his clause is still just a 10-team no-trade list.
While Brady Tkachuk and Dylan Larkin can largely choose their next destination, Hughes doesn’t have that luxury. The Devils could just trade him to 60 percent of the teams in the league.
Tom Fitzgerald made a ton of mistakes with the Devils. He gave no-move clauses like they were a requirement in negotiations. However, the work he did with Jack Hughes’s contract is a masterclass. It is the greatest gift he could have given Sunny Mehta.
After scoring the Golden Goal, Hughes became the most famous player on Team USA. He was on every talk show and became the centerpiece for the celebration of the American’s gold medal. Now, with Larkin requesting a trade, Connor Hellebuyck questioning his future in Winnipeg, and Tkachuk joining his brother in Florida, there is sense is at least pondering if Hughes would push for something similar. However, with just a little bit of research and logic, it’s clear this doesn’t make sense for anyone involved.
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