Jack Hughes became a national hero at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. He scored the overtime winner in a 2-1 victory over Canada to secure Team USA’s first men’s hockey gold medal since 1980.
Hughes finished the tournament with seven points, recording four goals and three assists in six games. His clutch moment raised a common question about his path to the top. Where did he play college hockey?
To everyone’s surprise, Hughes, 24, did not play college hockey. Unlike his brothers, Quinn and Luke, who both skated for the University of Michigan, Jack chose a different route. He moved straight from junior hockey to the NHL after the New Jersey Devils selected him first overall in the 2019 NHL Draft.
Before turning pro, Hughes developed with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Michigan. He played two seasons there from 2017 to 2019. There, he faced top junior competition and built his game against elite talent.
Earlier in his career, Hughes played for the Toronto Marlboros in the Greater Toronto Hockey League.
Hughes made his NHL debut at 18 during the 2019-20 season and developed slowly. He had his breakout season in 2022-23, in which he scored 43 goals and 99 points, and grew into a franchise cornerstone for the Devils.
While he skipped college, his family carries strong college ties. His mother, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, competed at the University of New Hampshire. His father, Jim Hughes, captained Providence College. Jack carved his own path, and it led to Olympic gold.
Jack Hughes’ Message After Securing Gold for Team USA
The 2026 Winter Olympics final was quite interesting, with both Canada and the USA playing their best hockey. Ultimately, the United States edged Canada 2-1 in overtime for gold.
Hughes was happy after helping his team win, saying,
“It’s all about our country right now. I love the USA. I love my teammates. It’s unbelievable. The USA hockey brotherhood is so strong. I’m so proud of the Americans today.”
Matt Boldy opened the scoring at 6:00 of the first, beating Jordan Binnington on the backhand to give the United States a 1-0 lead. Canada responded at 18:16 of the second when Cale Makar tied it with a snap shot. In overtime, Hughes buried the winner at 1:41 off a Zach Werenski pass.
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