Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils bring in a more diverse and growing fanbase

On June 21, 2019, the New Jersey Devils selected Jack Hughes first overall in the NHL Draft, marking a historic shift in hockey fan culture.

According to the New Jersey Devils, in the season prior to Hughes' arrival, attendance averaged at about 14,834. By the 2023-24 season, this number increased by almost 3,000 — spiking for an average attendance of 17,598, which is close to its capacity of 17,625. This further solidifies what many have known to be true for quite some time: the Devils' fandom is expanding and growing, particularly among female fans. The team's welcoming atmosphere, unique personalities, and entertainment value have opened the door for more.

While females and other genders alike have undoubtedly already been fans of the game, Devils fans themselves have attested to a recent rise in popularity among a more diverse fanbase.

Bryan, a 29-year old male social media admin of Devils’ @TheBrattPack63 on X with over 20,000 followers located in New Jersey, said that he has personally noticed an upward trajectory when it comes to more females paying attention to the Devils since Hughes was drafted.

“Absolutely. 100% without a doubt, no question. I don't know how much more firm I can say that, but there is definitely a spike in our female fanbase as of late,” Bryan said. “Representation is at an all time high.”

This is further backed up according to Statista. The global data website stated that in 2023, 27 percent of females watch and/or attend NHL games. This grew by over five percent in 2024, with 33.7 percent of females paying closer attention to the league.

Julien Garza is a 22-year-old non-binary Devils fan based in Michigan. Garza said that a more diverse fanbase has the ability to surround the players with more support, despite certain individuals’ passion often being misunderstood.

“I feel like female fans, and non-binaries and those die-hard fans who can often be misconstrued as overeager fan girls really drive everything. They really make things happen. And I'm not saying that males can't do that, but I think those specific groups showing love and interest in the sport are just really getting more people into it. Having more people there just really helps teams overall with the way they perform and filling up the arenas.”

Prior to being the No. 1 pick in the previously mentioned 2019 NHL Draft, Hughes led the USA Hockey National Team Development Program U-18 team with 112 points in 50 games for the 2018-19 season. Of these 112 points, 34 were goals and 78 were assists. While at the US NTDP, he also set the record for most points recorded in history.

Since joining the NHL, the Florida native scored his first NHL hat trick in a 5-1 victory over the Washington Capitals in November of 2022. At the time he was under 22, becoming the eighth-youngest player in Devils/Colorado Rockies/Kansas City Scouts history to earn a hat trick.

Hughes is currently 23 years old and has played 306 career games and has 114 goals and 167 assists. Bryan said that it is not only Hughes’ skill that brings the Devils and the NHL as a whole more attention.

“I know Jack Hughes is a very charismatic guy, a very attractive guy. I do think he draws in that demographic, and honestly, I couldn't be happier about it,” Bryan said. “It brings in some of the most passionate fans for an underrepresented demographic. And it really makes our social media a lot more fun.”

Hughes’ older brother, Quinn Hughes, was chosen by the Vancouver Canucks with the then-No. 7 pick of the 2018 NHL Draft. The Devils selected Luke, the youngest of the three Hughes brothers, with the then-No. 4 pick in the 2021 NHL draft.

These three drafts made NHL history — the Hughes brothers became the first American family to all be drafted in the first round.

Jack and Luke Hughes played their first NHL game together against the Buffalo Sabres on April 11, 2023. More commonly known as the ‘Hughes Bowl’ among NHL fans, all three Hughes brothers played on the same NHL ice for the first time on Dec. 6, 2023.

During the matchup, Jack Hughes earned one goal and two assists. Luke Hughes scored on a power player, and Quinn Hughes had two third-period assists to help the Canucks rally from three goals down to tie the score. The Devils went on to defeat the Canucks, 6-5.

Garza attended the Hughes Bowl with a female hockey friend they met on social media. 

“It was really amazing to see everyone come together for not only the love of hockey but mutual love for the Hughes brothers as well,” Garza said. “I remember the amount of Hughes jerseys in the Rock was so surreal. Seeing their impact on the fans, it felt like almost everywhere you looked there was a Hughes jersey.”

Jaylyn Walker, a 20-year-old female Devils fan located in Alabama, attended the game with Garza and said you could physically see different sectors of the hockey community intersecting.

“At the Hughes bowl, me and Julian were surrounded by men. So there was an old man next to us, and his commentary throughout the game was great,” Walker said. “Whoever you were at that game, you were supporting the Hughes family. It was just kind of nice to see a community come together.”

Close to 19,000 fans attended the game at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. According to the Associated Press, the NHL later set a new single-season attendance record with over 22.5 million fans that same year.

Matilda Sampaio, a 24-year-old female Devils fan located in the United Kingdom, said the growth in female hockey fans has created more openness in the community.

“The fact that there are more women watching the game, it's just made us feel allowed to enjoy it in the same way a man would enjoy it, in the same way anyone would enjoy it,” Sampaio said. “To be able to have an opinion on things and give your opinion on things without having any backlash is just the best feeling.”

Bryan said the recent years of thrilling play and the NHL's popularity have not only attracted more female fans but also more females in the workplace.

“I also think that representation is at an all time high with the media as well. Journalists like Sara Civian and Shayna Goldman from the Athletic are absolutely killing it right now. It's giving you these young female fans kind of the idea of what they can be, that they can understand the game just like anyone else,” Bryan said.

Aside from Jack and Luke Hughes, the Devils are known for being one of the NHL’s most dominant teams — winning the Stanley Cup in 1995, 2000, and 2003. 

The Prudential Center, also known as ‘The Rock’ and ‘Devils’ Den’ serves as the home site for the team and is commonly thought of as one of the more entertaining game sites in the NHL due to the atmosphere created by fans.

“When you're on [Devils’ centric] social media, we do not have the biggest fan base in the world. But, we have some of the funniest people I've ever seen, some of the most passionate people I've ever seen,” Bryan said. “The main thing I see is that a lot of the newer fans are really not ashamed to be themselves and be interested in what they're interested in. They are so passionate because they love what they love. And they're going to show that. And when it comes to sports fandom, I think that is the most admirable part of being a fan.”

While the expansion of the diversity in the NHL fanbase should be viewed as a positive by most, there are critics out there who still view those in the community as ‘fangirls’ who lack understanding of the game.

Sampiano told Pucks and Pitchforks this new era of fandom in the NHL is going to change that very outlook.

“Women can be as inclined towards sports as a man can be. There’s nothing that is impeding us from understanding the game in the same way that a man understands the game. There’s nothing that's impeding us from being fans in the same way as them,” Sampaio said. “I think a lot of the misunderstanding comes from the fact that hockey is quite an aggressive game, and when you go to the games there's also a lot of aggression coming from the fans as well. And to think that a woman is not capable of having that same passion, I think is so wrong. We can appreciate the game in the same way anyone can.”