03/03/26 12:23:00
Printable Page
03/03 12:21 CST Jack Hughes returns to his day job in the NHL after TV tour as
the US Olympic hockey hero
Jack Hughes returns to his day job in the NHL after TV tour as the US Olympic
hockey hero
By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Hockey Writer
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) --- Jack Hughes was enthralled by Lorne Michaels' stories
that highlighted his time at "Saturday Night Live" and enjoyed sharing the
stage with brother Quinn and U.S. women's captain Hilary Knight on "The Tonight
Show Starring Jimmy Fallon."
Now the U.S. men's golden goal-scorer is ready to get back to his day job in
the NHL.
Hughes skated Tuesday morning in the aftermath of appearing on Fallon's show,
which is expected to be the last stop on his whirlwind media tour since
becoming a national star in Milan --- for now. His work with the New Jersey
Devils continues now for the stretch run of the season.
"The best couple weeks of my life and just a lot of fun celebrating with the
guys and enjoying it," Hughes said. "Now, after all this, it's in the rearview
mirror for a little bit. We'll pull it out back in the summer. But yeah, it's
back to Devils and locking back in here and trying to win some games."
A little over a week removed from scoring one of the biggest goals in U.S.
hockey history, the next step in Hughes' return to normalcy is a matchup
against Olympic teammate Matthew Tkachuk and the two-time defending Stanley
Cup-champion Florida Panthers. Hughes acknowledged it was weird being an
opponent so quickly, especially given how deep the connection is between him
and Quinn and brothers Matthew and Brady, going back to growing up on the ice
together.
It's even stronger now after winning just the country's third men's gold medal
in the sport and the first since 1980.
"Now we have that special bond of just accomplishing something so special that
we're linked together forever," Matthew Tkachuk said. "We're brothers forever,
champions forever."
Florida coach Paul Maurice knows a thing or two about champions from hoisting
the Cup each of the past two years and isn't sure how this star turn will
affect Hughes, other than noticing the 24-year-old's face on every billboard on
the way from the team's hotel in New York to the arena across the river in New
Jersey.
Maurice contrasted Hughes' moment with that of Sidney Crosby, who scored the
golden goal for Canada --- against the U.S. --- in the Olympic final in
Vancouver in 2010. Crosby had already won the Stanley Cup by then, and given
the Devils' place in the standings, Hughes will have to wait at least another
year to chase hockey's hallowed trophy.
"If he becomes part of Stanley Cup champions, it will be as it was with Mr.
Crosby: It'll be a wonderful thing to add," Maurice said. "Wonderful for our
game. We should all celebrate that. How it impacts him, I think he's got lots
of years to write a longer story."
For now, those around Hughes are not worried about the attention affecting him.
"Obviously he's really been around the map lately," younger brother and Devils
teammate Luke said. "I don't think one goal changes you. ... I think he was
just really happy to be a part of it."
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL
|
