New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes has been through one of the most challenging yet exciting seasons of his young career. From a red-hot start to a bizarre injury to an Olympic nod, Hughes has seen just about everything.
Despite the Devils’ recent struggles, the 24-year-old remains optimistic about his team’s chances of making the postseason. During an interview with RG Media published on January 21, Hughes opened up about how important making the postseason is for him.
“I think heading into the year for me, the biggest thing was obviously making the playoffs with the Devils, and that’s a long-term process.”
Indeed, the Devils remain a work in progress. The team is not perfect by any means. But that hasn’t taken away from the work ethic that Hughes and his teammates have poured into this season.
Hughes, nonetheless, remains upbeat, boiling down the path forward into the following thought:
“We just have to win some games.”
It may seem simplistic, but that’s pretty much it. The Devils can make the playoffs by winning games. It’s the typical case of win, and you’re in. New Jersey remains within striking distance of a playoff spot, just four points out.
That situation means that the Devils are just a win streak away from getting back into the race.
Hughes starring for Devils and Team USA
Jack Hughes also got a significant honor this season. The Devils star will be part of Team USA’s squad for the 2026 Olympics in Milano-Cortina. The American side will be looking for its first gold medal since the Miracle on Ice of 1980.
Hughes understands his role on Team USA. He’s embraced how important he is to his nation’s squad. Hughes encapsulated that thought by stating:
“I wanted to be on that team and be one of the key players there, so I’m looking forward to that.”
While the Olympics are an important personal milestone, Hughes understands that playing in Milano-Cortina could impact the Devils. In particular, the lack of rest for those playing in the Olympics and the long layoff for his other teammates could upset the team’s momentum. Hughes underscored the point by stating:
“We have eight guys playing in the Olympics, so we’ll have a lot of guys who will still be playing, but there are two parts. The guys who are playing might come back tired and a little drained from how competitive the Olympics are. The guys who aren’t playing and have the break, it might take them a little time to get back into it after sitting out for pretty much a month.”
Following the Olympics, it will be a sprint to the finish. The compressed schedule will give players little respite in the final weeks of the season. Hughes acknowledged this reality by concluding:
“I guess it’s whoever comes out of the break fastest. They can hop on teams and win games, and every game is so crucial. That’s kind of a problem for late February and March, but we’ve got three weeks of really important hockey coming up. That’s what we’re looking forward to.”
The road ahead for Hughes and the Devils is clear. So, it will come down to playing hard and winning games.