It is safe to say that New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes has become a superstar in the NHL. He is coming off his coming out party in 2022-23 in which he set career highs in goals (43), assists (56), and total points (99). Speaking of those points, they were good enough to pass Devils’ legend Patrik Elias’ record for the most in a single season in NHL history. Hughes’ performance was also a key factor in the franchise making it back to the postseason this past year. The centerman not only finished in second place for the Lady Byng Trophy but also placed eighth in the Hart Memorial Trophy voting.
The fact that Hughes even received votes for the award shows you how far the star forward has come since being drafted first overall in 2019. He has the skillset to dominate any player or team he faces night in and night out. He can score at will along with possessing elite passing ability to set up his teammates. Despite there being players who are at a higher level than him, there’s no question that No. 86 has established himself as a true contender to win the Hart Trophy for years to come.
Hughes Has Improved Every Single Year
Since being the first-overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, the Orlando, Florida native has had a target on his back. He was deemed a generational talent from the moment he first donned the red and black of New Jersey. While he did struggle his first couple of years due to a lack of success as well as injury, his development, as well as his stats, improved every season. The 22-year-old has set career highs in every category since he debuted in 2019, and looking at how 2022-23 went for him, it’s clear that he is in the upper echelon of players in the league.
Related: Jack Hughes: Rising to the Elite
In terms of stats, Hughes took off this past campaign. He finished tied for 12th amongst forwards in points. For goals, he concluded with 43 which was good enough for eighth overall and higher than guys such as Nathan MacKinnon and Alex Ovechkin. His 56 assists also put him in the top 20 among skaters. All of this shows that this guy is only getting better each season and can rack up stats with the best of the best in the NHL.
Hughes Has an Elite Skill Set
When looking at what Hughes does on a night-to-night basis, the kid can mesmerize his opponents. Look no further than the goal he scored last December versus the Philadelphia Flyers. He gets the puck at center ice and goes up the right side near the boards. He then proceeds to maneuver his way through two Flyers and gets the puck to his forehand near the right faceoff circle. Finally, he fires one off the far post and in past the goaltender for a highlight reel goal.
That is just one of many examples of what Hughes can do scoring-wise with his stick. However, another part of his game is even more elite than putting the puck in the back of the net. That happens to be his passing ability. When you look at his draft profile, the biggest evaluation that stood out was his passing talent. Fast forward to the present day and that is still his most lethal tool. This no-look pass that Hughes performed to set up a Jesper Bratt goal was a true showcase of his wizardly distribution.
Hughes Is Surrounded by Tremendous Talent
The Hart Trophy is indeed about what the individual player can produce. That being said, the teammates around the winner have a lot of say in helping him achieve this award. For Hughes, this is most definitely no exception. On most nights, at five-on-five, he will be teamed up with forwards Timo Meier, Bratt, Dawson Mercer, Ondrej Palat, and Tyler Toffoli throughout the season. On the powerplay, he will be set up with those previously mentioned players as well as others like Nico Hischier, Dougie Hamilton, and even his younger brother Luke.
There are a bunch of other factors that go into a player winning the Hart Trophy. Some of it is skill, some of it is consistency, and some of it is even avoiding injury. Make no mistake about it, the player that people call “Gentleman Jack” has all the tools and resources to not only win the Hart Trophy this season but for many seasons to come. The fun and excitement of Hughes is just getting started.
