Story Summary
Martin Brodeur believes Jack Hughes has entered a new stage of his career after scoring the overtime ‘Golden Goal’ for Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Brodeur, the New Jersey Devils‘ executive vice president of hockey operations and a Hall of Fame goaltender, said Hughes is showing greater responsibility and leadership since returning from Milan. The 25-year-old centre posted 41 points (15 goals, 26 assists) and averaged 21:50 of ice time in 25 games after the Olympics and arrived at Devils camp with reinforcements up front – including Anthony Mantha, Evan Rodrigues and Luke Evangelista – giving New Jersey more depth around its star.
Key Facts
- Martin Brodeur is the New Jersey Devils executive vice president of hockey operations and a Hockey Hall of Famer who won three Stanley Cups and two Olympic gold medals.
- Jack Hughes scored at 1:41 of overtime to give Team USA a 2-1 victory against Team Canada in the gold medal game of the men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22.
- Brodeur said Hughes returned from the Olympics ‘prepared to accept greater responsibility’ and is ‘taking the bull by the horns.’
- Hughes is 25 years old and, upon his return to the Devils after the Olympics, had 41 points (15 goals, 26 assists) and averaged 21:50 of ice time in 25 games.
- Since entering the NHL in 2019-20, Hughes has played more than 62 regular-season games only once; that season (2022-23) he recorded 99 points (43 goals, 56 assists) in 78 games and reached the Eastern Conference Second Round.
- Brodeur highlighted health as a lingering question in Hughes’ career: ‘Health has always been a bit of an issue, and he takes it seriously.’
- New Jersey added forwards Evan Rodrigues, Luke Evangelista and Anthony Mantha in an effort to deepen its forward group.
- Anthony Mantha (6-foot-5, 240 pounds) received an immediate look alongside Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt on opening day of training camp.
- Hughes is entering his eighth NHL season and serves as an assistant captain alongside Jesper Bratt; Nico Hischier is the Devils’ captain.
- Luke Hughes – Jack’s brother and a Devils defenceman – said the Olympic goal ‘was kind of a close-the-chapter moment’ for Jack and that ‘he’s in a new stage in his career.’
- Hughes said of the Olympic win: ‘Now I’m refreshed, I’m happy and I’m not worried about the past. I’m just excited for what’s to come.’
- Hughes stated his next objective is to help the Devils qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and compete in ‘big-time moments.’
IHM Discussion
Brodeur frames Hughes’ Olympic experience not merely as an individual achievement but as a developmental milestone that has sharpened his appetite to lead. The Hall of Famer emphasised both the mental and practical effects of winning: Hughes ‘saw, playing with the team, what they accomplished in Milan’ and ‘wants to be able to share that with his teammates.’ That combination of belief and fresh perspective is notable because New Jersey has deliberately surrounded Hughes with additional talent. The arrivals of Evan Rodrigues, Luke Evangelista and Anthony Mantha are intended to ease some of the on-ice burden on Hughes and create more favourable matchups, a point Brodeur underlined when he said the added depth should let Hughes ‘play his game’ without the team collapsing if he misses time. The underlying caveat remains Hughes’ health history. Brodeur and Hughes both acknowledge injuries have disrupted continuity, and the 2022-23 season – when Hughes played 78 games and produced 99 points – remains the clearest demonstration of what sustained availability can produce.
Why It Matters
If Hughes sustains his health and channels the confidence from Milan into the regular season, the Devils gain a centre who combines elite offensive creation with an emerging willingness to shoulder leadership responsibilities. That shift matters for New Jersey’s playoff ambitions: Brodeur sees Hughes wanting to ‘share’ the Olympic-winning experience, and Hughes himself singled out postseason qualification and ‘big-time moments’ as his objectives. Greater forward depth could reduce the club’s dependence on one player as it pursues a steadier push for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Fan Pulse
Players and team leaders greeted Hughes’ Olympic success as a personal and collective boost. Luke Hughes called the shot in Milan a way for Jack to ‘close the chapter’ on recent adversity, while Hughes described feeling ‘refreshed’ and ‘happy’ after the Olympics. Anthony Mantha, given an early look on the top line, admitted he would welcome the opportunity to ‘stick there’ because of the pace and skill around Hughes and Bratt. Across the locker room the tone is one of optimism: teammates see a player who has renewed belief and the club has added support to match it.
Mini Q&A
What did Martin Brodeur say about Jack Hughes after the Olympics?
Brodeur said Hughes is ‘taking the bull by the horns’ and has returned prepared to accept greater responsibility, calling the change ‘commendable.’
What was Hughes’ Olympic moment?
Hughes scored at 1:41 of overtime to give Team USA a 2-1 victory against Team Canada in the gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22.
How did Hughes perform after the Olympics with the Devils?
Upon his return from the Olympics, Hughes had 41 points (15 goals, 26 assists) and averaged 21:50 of ice time in 25 games.
What roster additions did the Devils make to support Hughes?
New Jersey added forwards Evan Rodrigues, Luke Evangelista and Anthony Mantha to deepen its forward group.
What role did Anthony Mantha get in camp?
Mantha received an immediate look alongside Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt on the opening day of training camp.
What are Hughes’ stated goals for the season?
Hughes said his next objective is to help the Devils qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and play in ‘big-time moments.’
Coach Mark Comment
From a coaching perspective, the key is turning confidence into repeatable habits. Greater forward depth can give New Jersey more options around Hughes, while his line with Mantha and Bratt offers a useful blend of pace, skill and size. The priority will be to build on that support without taking away the creativity that drives Hughes’ game.
What Comes Next
The next checkpoint is how Hughes and his new-look top line perform in the early regular season and whether he can maintain availability across a fuller schedule; the Devils’ training-camp deployment – including the immediate look with Mantha, Hughes and Bratt – will be an early indicator of the coaching staff’s plan.
IHM Final View
Brodeur’s assessment makes clear that Jack Hughes’ Olympic triumph carried more than headline moments; it introduced a leadership edge and clearer purpose. If Hughes remains healthy and the Devils’ added depth functions as intended, his Milan experience could be the turning point that translates elite talent into consistent postseason impact for New Jersey.