Jack Hughes gained some recognition following the best week for the New Jersey Devils in this young hockey season.
On Monday, NHL.com announced its Three Stars of the Week, and Hughes was listed as the Second Star. It was well-deserved recognition, considering Hughes’ performance this past week, which saw him notch a game-winner in overtime against a heated rival the Devils had little luck against in recent games.
Hughes finished the week with nine points and three goals in four games. He also posted at least two points in each of those four contests.
All four games were outright thrillers. The first two saw Hughes and the Devils melt down in the third period, only to get their act together and win in either a shootout or overtime.
The following game saw the Devils in a multi-goal deficit, only to take charge in the third and win. On Sunday, Hughes and Co. shut out the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Jack Hughes’ Early-Season Production Puts Him Among NHL’s Best
Through 18 games, Hughes leads the Devils in points with 25. That is seven points higher than the second-place point producer, Jesper Bratt, who has 18. Hughes’ nine goals also pace the team, with Arseny Gritsyuk and Nico Hischier behind him with eight.
Beyond Hughes’ big week, he also has multiple points in five consecutive games. Overall, Hughes is heating up in November, during a time when playoff races around the league simultaneously heat up. That could be a good omen for the Devils in the coming weeks.
Another stat worth mentioning? Hughes has four game-winning goals this season. His overtime winner is the most recent, and the game-winners show how well Hughes is performing during clutch moments.
Provided Hughes stays healthy and maintains his current pace, he is on track for a career-high 117 points and 42 goals. Those numbers would add Hughes to the Hart Trophy conversation come the end of the season. Hughes took eighth for the Hart in 2022-23, when he notched his current career-high of 99 points.
Jack Hughes Earns Recognition Amid Devils’ Five-Game Winning Streak
When Jack Hughes is producing, the Devils are most likely winning. His two goals on Nov. 3 helped the Devils hold off the Edmonton Oilers just enough for the game to go into overtime and, eventually, a shootout. Jesper Bratt and Arseny Gritsyuk came up big in the shootout to win it for New Jersey.
Hughes had two assists against the St. Louis Blues, one of which came on his brother, Luke Hughes’, goal. Hughes’ assists helped the Devils jump out to a 2-0 lead that came in handy in the third period. St. Louis forced overtime, but Hughes’ efforts early in the game ultimately led to Dougie Hamilton linking with Jesper Bratt to win it for the Devils.
Hughes posted two points and a goal on Nov. 7 against the Islanders, with his goal serving as the difference-maker. And finally, he ended the week with two assists against the Maple Leafs. His first assist of the game further helped Timo Meier break through his scoring slump.
Now, the question is: what will Hughes’ encore look like? That answer will come on Tuesday when the Devils face the Winnipeg Jets.
Devils’ Jack Hughes Gets Strong Recognition Amid Hot Start