For teenagers Natalie, Giovanni, and Darby, this past weekend wasn’t just a trip to Prudential Center…it was a full-circle moment of joy, healing and magic.
The New Jersey Devils, in partnership with Make-A-Wish New Jersey, the Devils Youth Foundation, and Fanatics, turned two ordinary days into a lifetime of memories for these three young fans battling illnesses.
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For 15-year-old Natalie Honzalek from Minnesota, the wish was simple: meet Jack Hughes. The forward for the Northern Lakes Lightning was diagnosed with a rare form of sarcoma in February of 2023. Through many nights at the hospital, she became attached to the Devils’ star forward, and subsequently the Devils.
Chemotherapy, radiation, and major surgery followed, but so did the Devils’ 2022-23 playoff run – games the family watched from hospital rooms as a welcome distraction. “They made that run that year and that kept us through,” said Natalie’s father, Nathan Honzalek. “It passed the time quite a bit, in a good way.”
On Friday, Nov. 7, she was finally brought face-to-face with the team that had carried her through tough times. Inside RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House, Natalie found a locker with her name on it, a personalized jersey, and gifts from the players. After watching a bit of practice, her and Giovanni – both hockey players – headed onto the ice to applause and cheers from the entire Devils team. They then proceeded to lead the entire team in post-practice stretches.
Afterwards, a chunk players stayed to shoot around with Natalie and Giovanni. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom faced some shots (and was beaten by them quite a few times).
Hughes Brothers Go Above & Beyond
But while players continued to trickle off the ice, Jack and Luke Hughes refused to leave. A quick skate turned into more than an hour of shooting, passing, and pointers – continuing uninterrupted until the group was finally called in for lunch with Devils alumni.
“You know, they obviously have all gone through tough roads and had a lot of things happen,” Jack Hughes said to The Hockey Writers. “I mean, it’s such an easy thing for us to just come to the rink and hang out. They’re all pretty good kids.”
Natalie grinned when she revealed her treasures: a puck and stick signed by Jack himself. “I still can’t believe it,” she said. “It was so surreal, like, crazy.” She also spent time chatting with Brenden Dillon, who she called “really nice” and “very chatty the whole time.”
Dillon’s face lit up when asked to reflect on the day. “It’s amazing to have these three in,” he said. “Their dreams and their wish was to come and spend a day out here [and] ask us silly questions. And I think that it’s just really cool when you put it into perspective: even on our worst days as an NHL player, to be healthy, playing in the best league in the world and living out our dreams. It’s cool to share that with these kids and see them smiling and laughing, and have them be a part of our family here…”
Her mother, Amy Honzalek, was teary-eyed. “I was emotional,” she said. “They put in so much time and effort just staying out there playing with the kids. They’re just good people.”
Lunch with Devils alumni followed, followed by a Fanatics-sponsored shopping spree in the Devils Den Team Store, where Natalie beamed while saying she got “a lot” of Devils gear.
On Saturday, the three teenagers and their families were given a suite to enjoy a thrilling 2-1 shootout victory. That wasn’t all; the experience also included bench-side warm-ups, high-fives in the tunnel, a suite visit from mascot NJ Devil and alum Bruce Driver, a Zamboni ride during intermission, and a tour of the MSG TV truck.
This certainly wasn’t the first time the Hughes brothers have gone above and beyond, as they recently launched their Hughes Brothers Pucks and Pages community initiative. “I think all pro teams are [making a difference off the ice] for the most part,” Jack said. “I think the Devils do a really good job of it, and it’s important.”
He added, “I was fortunate to be around NHLers [when I was young] with my Dad working. So I remember guys were always super nice to us. And I think [connecting with kids] is a really easy thing that me and my brothers learned early, and it’s really not hard for us to do those kinds of things. You can make a kid’s day by just doing something so simple.”
Emily Mangione, Senior Wish Coordinator for Make-A-Wish New Jersey, watched it unfold. “Jack and Luke, to say they went above and beyond would be undermining it,” she told THW. “They just wanted to.”
For Natalie, her family, and the whole group that took part, the weekend was proof that the hockey world shows up when it matters most. “There’s nothing like the hockey community when people are in need,” Nathan said. “We felt it during treatment. And we’re definitely feeling it today.”
