Inter Milan is making progress in its goal liverpoolCurtis Jones, after failing to sign in January.

The Serie A team showed strong interest in the midfielder in the winter market and wanted to sign him before sanctioning a move for Davide Fratesi.

In February, Fratesi’s agent giuseppe risso said Liverpool’s decision to block Jones’ exit prevented their client’s move to Nottingham Forest.

The Italian champions continue to keep signing the Reds player on their agenda for the summer.

On 20 May, Game Witness broadcast news Inter Milan manager Christian Chivu is a big fan of the 25-year-old. The same source said he has had a falling out with Arne Slott and is still refusing to sign an extension.

Earlier this week, we Covered claims from Italy Nerazzurri receive £35m Premier League deal [€40.4m] Price too high. It appears that the player has given his approval to Chivu’s side, having been in contact with his entourage.

Inter meeting with Liverpool

Journalist Gianluca Di Marzio It is claimed that Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes had a meeting with his Inter Milan counterpart Piero Ausilio in Monaco.

The pair talked about a few topics and the England international was the main topic of their discussion.

Inter Milan are keen to acquire the player’s services, after a failed attempt in January. Despite his age, his experience of playing at the highest level makes him an interesting option. Therefore, Jones remains an attractive target for the San Siro club.

After Hughes’s meeting with Ausilio, the Englishman is no longer just an idea.

At present, no agreement has been reached between the two clubs. Di Marzio insisted Liverpool and Cristian Chivu’s side ‘continue to work on finding a solution’ during upcoming meetings.

Contract situation forces Liverpool

Curtis Jones has more than 13 months left on his contract and earlier claims said he has refused to sign an extension.

Therefore, the summer window will be Liverpool’s last big chance to make money from his sale, in order to avoid losing him for free in 2027.

transfer market The midfielder, who has made 49 appearances for the Reds this season, is valued at €35m.

Jack Hughes’ future with the New Jersey Devils has been in the headlines recently. With Quinn Hughes approaching NHL free agency, a potential extension with the Minnesota Wild is on the table. However, the Hughes brothers’ futures remain tied to each other, and an NHL insider has provided a big update on the New Jersey forward.

As reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on the Fan Hockey Show, the Devils are not trading Jack Hughes after missing the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs. This report comes after The Athletic reported that Minnesota general manager Bill Guerin attempted to trade for New Jersey defenseman Luke Hughes at the 2026 NHL trade deadline.

The Wild want to keep Quinn Hughes long-term, so trading for one of his brothers is a great way to do that. However, is reelection more likely in New Jersey or Minnesota?

Why is Quinn Hughes more likely to join Jack Hughes in New Jersey?

Jack Hughes is under contract with New Jersey through the 2029–2030 NHL season. Luke Hughes, meanwhile, has a contract that runs until the 2031–32 campaign. So, is it more likely that the two New Jersey players will join Quinn Hughes in Minnesota or vice versa?

Despite what the public says, it is far more likely that Quinn Hughes comes to the Devils than the other way around. With the Wild defenseman entering his contract year, some questions need answers soon. If Quinn Hughes plans to stay with Minnesota, an extension will likely be pursued this summer.

Friedman had previously predicted a three-year contract, in line with Jack Hughes’ contract in New Jersey. Unless Jack Hughes requests a trade, it doesn’t make sense for New Jersey to trade him. After all, if Quinn Hughes wants to play with his brothers, he can sign with the Devils in NHL free agency next year.

It all depends on what Quinn Hughes wants to do moving forward. If a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals is his goal, staying in Minnesota would make the most sense. If playing with his brothers is a bigger desire than signing with New Jersey then that’s the most realistic outcome.

Either way, it’s much easier to imagine the Hughes brothers playing with each other in New Jersey than it is in Minnesota.

READ MORE: Quinn Hughes moved to Detroit Red Wings? what will it actually take

Austin Konensky is a writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and more. His work can also…more about Austin Konensky

You shouldn’t put anything past Bill Guerin. That’s why you shouldn’t be surprised to hear that he’s attempted to poach the youngest Hughes brother from the New Jersey Devils.

If you haven’t heard of it, visit the link below.

Yesterday was a good day for New Jersey Hockey Now. We’ve acquired Daniel Amoia who is joining me on Devil’s Beat.

NJHN is your go-to Devils source for all your New Jersey hockey needs, and we’re taking it to another level with Daniel.

You can find his author page here.

Daniel made his first publication yesterday which is also below, but stay tuned for more to come.

Elsewhere, Quinn on the Future in Minnesota, Heavily Fined on Torts, and More!

Devil’s Trade Rumors and News

New Jersey Hockey Now: interesting. So, Bill Guerin has as much interest in bringing all of the Hughes brothers to Minnesota as the Devils have in employing all of them in New Jersey. evidence? Guerin called Tom Fitzgerald about a possible trade for Luke Hughes.

So, given the fact that Guerin feels the need to give himself an advantage when it comes to the Hughes brothers, what does this mean for how he feels about his chances of retaining Quinn Hughes? Daniel Amoia breaks it down in his first appearance with New Jersey Hockey Now.

📺 devil’s rink report: It has been reported that Auston Matthews’ future in Toronto is uncertain. Well, some people have drawn attention to New Jersey in a potential franchise changing trade. In the latest video on Devils Rink Report, I break down the deal that’s received a lot of backlash online and weigh in on whether it makes sense.

Last week, we went live with immediate reaction after the draft lottery. The full episode can be found here 👇🏼

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NHL Trade Talk, News and National Hockey Now

Athletic ($): I mean, what else was he going to say? He loses all his leverage in contract negotiations by saying otherwise. At the Minnesota Wild exit meetings, Quinn Hughes was asked and stated that he was interested in remaining in Minnesota.

As many have already pointed out, Zach Parise said the same thing before leaving the Devils… for the Wild!

We will see what happens.

Forever Blueshirts: John Tortorella always finds a way back into the spotlight. New York Rangers fans know his fiery passion, and now the Vegas Golden Knights do too. And man, is the NHL attacking Torts with a big hammer. Tortorella has been heavily fined, and Vegas is being forced to forfeit a high draft pick for refusing to hold a media availability after eliminating the Anaheim Ducks.

pittsburgh hockey now: What’s next for Ricard Raquel who has definitely been pushed back from 2024-25? The decision here is definitely in the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

San Jose Hockey Now: Okay, no big deal. This is his second year in the league and Maclin Celebrini was fourth in league scoring with 104 points. Well, on July 1st, he is eligible to extend with the San Jose Sharks. What will that look like?

Philly hockey now: Here’s how the Philadelphia Flyers are becoming a destination players want to visit.

Montreal hockey now: It may not be as sustainable as it has been for them, but the Montreal Canadiens are succeeding in their adversity.

Toronto Hockey Now: What does Auston Matthews’ future hold with the Toronto Maple Leafs? Here’s the latest update from inside.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

According to a recent report from Michael Russo of The Athletic, Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin attempted to acquire Luke Hughes from the New Jersey Devils during the 2025-26 season — a move that would have seen Luke leave one brother, Jack Hughes, to join forces with another in the form of Quinn Hughes.

Of course, rumors and speculation about the future of all three Hughes brothers have been running rampant. Just last week on an episode of The Sheet with Jeff Marek, all three brothers’ agent, Pat Brisson, talked about the idea of ​​them all playing together at some point:

“We probably haven’t had any specific discussion about this. These are possibilities, I will not deny the factBut when your three brothers get together during the summer or in the offseason, we have lots of fun conversations about lots of fun things.

Obviously, no deal happened for Luke. Based on the language used by The Athletic, it doesn’t seem like the Devils ever seriously considered parting ways with Luke.

But here’s what we know. All else being equal, there is no reason to believe that Quinn will be someone More He is willing to sign an extension beyond his current deal (which runs through 2026–27), which he would not have done if the team had made a deep run in the playoffs.

“I’m definitely ready to re-sign here,” Quinn said in his exit interview today. He also said that getting a deal in the summer is “more ideal”, but is “so mentally tough” that it is not possible to go into the season without it.

Regardless, the possibility remains that Guerin attempted to acquire Luke to increase his leverage for a Quinn extension. This will prompt a GM who does not have full Confidence in your ability to accomplish it. Quinn’s words confirm that the outlook at this position is far from certain, even if he enjoys playing in Minnesota.

At the end of the day, the Devils have something the Wild don’t: both of Quinn’s brothers. There’s no telling what Devils GM Sunny Mehta’s plan will be – and whether he’s considering a potential pursuit of Quinn in any near-term decisions.

Additionally, Quinn is already 0-for-1 on a contract extension entering the season and there are plenty of rumors surrounding him. Even if he is 100% genuine in his desire to stay in Minnesota, things could change quickly if he doesn’t make a move this offseason.

Mehta, Guerin and everyone involved know that Jack’s contract expires after 2029-30 and Luke’s after 2031-32. If Quinn really wants to play with his brothers, the quickest path is to New Jersey.

While ex-Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald has rightfully faced his fair share of scrutiny, some of his late decisions could potentially play a big role in any Devils success in the future:

Her refusal to part with Luke may one day be the reason the Devils finally meet Quinn. And their ability to let Ondrej Palat’s contract out without any salary retention would add some much-needed flexibility for Mehta to work with this offseason.

Time will tell what direction the Quinn saga and the Devils as a whole will take. In the meantime, until proven otherwise, Devils fans should hold their positions full confidence In Mehta.

Daniel is the New Jersey Devils beat reporter for SportsNut. He graduated from Montclair State University in 2025… More about Daniel Amoia

Quinn Hughes and the Minnesota Wild were eliminated from the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs by the Colorado Avalanche. It was a disappointing end to a season that had high expectations after Hughes was traded to Minnesota. However, could this partnership prove to be one-and-done?

This seems like a possibility, so what exactly would Hughes have to do to land in Detroit? Here’s what needs to happen for the Detroit Red Wings.

Quinn Hughes to decline extension with Minnesota Wild

If Detroit wants any chance of landing Hughes during the 2026 NHL offseason, it starts with the defenseman’s intentions. After being traded to Minnesota, Hughes was not able to sign a contract extension as he is not eligible until July 1, 2026. However, what if the Wild are not able to complete a contract extension?

In a scenario where Hughes declines to sign with Minnesota, the organization would be encouraged to move him this offseason or at the 2027 NHL trade deadline. The Wild gave up a lot of asset to acquire the 26-year-old defenseman, so losing him in 2027 NHL free agency would be detrimental.

Therefore, it makes the most sense to trade Hughes during the offseason to get more value. More likely is Hughes to sign a contract extension with Minnesota, and an NHL insider recently predicted it would be a three-year deal. If not, it will allow Detroit to correct the mistake during the 2026-27 NHL season.

After all, NHL stars are hard to come by, and Detroit had the opportunity to acquire Hughes in December 2025.

Detroit Red Wings must complete an extension with Hughes

The Red Wings had the opportunity to trade for Hughes during the 2026–27 NHL season. The star defenseman is from Michigan and Detroit is one of his favorite places. However, the organization reportedly declined to acquire Hughes without a contract extension.

Allowing Hughes to go to Minnesota was a mistake when Detroit was more likely to be able to complete an extension this summer. If the Wild trade Hughes declines to sign a contract extension, the atmosphere surrounding a potential deal should be similar. The Red Wings would have to complete an extension with Hughes.

In December, the 26-year-old defenseman was not allowed to sign a contract extension, as he could not complete it until July. Now, Hughes will likely have to assure another team that he will re-sign to give up property. After all, a year of Hughes wouldn’t be worth “leaving the farm.”

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman reportedly wanted a verbal extension in December, but this time will be different. If Hughes declines to sign a contract with Minnesota, it means he has his sights set on a specific organization. It could be Detroit or the New Jersey Devils, but Yzerman needs a commitment.

Hughes will likely sign an extension this summer, but if he doesn’t, the Red Wings should be in the mix once again.

READ MORE: Auston Matthews moved to Detroit Red Wings? what will it actually take

Austin Konensky is a writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and more. His work can also…more about Austin Konensky

Bill Guerin appears to want to accomplish what former New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald couldn’t. He wants to reunite the Hughes brothers, but in Minnesota.

According to a report from Michael Russo via The Athletic, the Wild GM attempted to trade for Luke Hughes — the youngest of the three NHL phenoms — during the 2025-26 season.

Idea? After ambushing the Devils for Quinn Hughes and luring him to Minnesota, get Luke and sign superstar forward Jack Hughes if he becomes a free agent in 2030.

“Everyone knows the Hughes brothers want to play together. Maybe Jack wants to come to Minnesota to join forces with Quinn instead of waiting now or doing it the other way,” Russo wrote in his latest. “That would be complicated, however, because it’s hard to believe that Jack would leave his youngest brother, Luke, behind with the New Jersey Devils. That’s why, according to league sources, the Wild made an offer to former Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald to acquire Luke last season. Still, it seems unlikely that new GM Sunny Mehta’s first move would be to trade Jack Hughes. The same can be said for Hischier, He’s eligible for an extension this offseason, though. And if the Devils get the impression the Skipper won’t move, you can bet they’ll put him on the market.”

Fitzgerald is no longer in the GM chair as he and the Devils parted ways and New Jersey hired Sunny Mehta as its sixth GM in franchise history.

Fitzgerald’s departure stemmed from Ball dropping the ball in the Quinn saga when he was still in Vancouver and preferred to ply his trade in New Jersey.

However, the ex-Devils GM did do one thing right by nabbing the youngest Hughes brother.

Not only is Luke projected to emerge as the Devils’ No. 1 defenseman, but holding on to him gives New Jersey its best chance to keep Jack long-term.

The Devils signed Luke to a long-term, seven-year contract last September, with six years remaining after the 2025–26 season.

This will be an interesting summer for both the Devils and the Wild.

Quinn is eligible to sign an extension on July 1 as he has one year remaining on his contract. It remains to be seen whether he does so or not, but it’s no secret that Quinn has been highly complimentary of the Wild organization—specifically Guerin.

The Devils have decisions to make themselves this summer, namely the pending free agent contracts in Simon Nemec and Arseniy Gritsyuk, as well as Nico Hischier who, like Quinn, is eligible for an extension on July 1 with one year left on his deal.

We know Guerin will continue his aggressive approach to upgrading the Wild while also doing everything he can to keep Quinn in Minny.

However, Mehta’s approach remains to be seen as a first-time GM in the NHL.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

Sunny Mehta was brought in as general manager to be bold and he certainly has the opportunity to do that this summer via the New Jersey Devils trade.

Mehta’s background shows that he is willing to take risks having been a former professional poker player, an options trader, and even a professional musician.

So, why wouldn’t he at least try to acquire Quinn Hughes?

You know the story. Quinn is the older brother. Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes have long been associated with New Jersey. It would be crazy to get these three together in New Jersey – the kind of thing fans have been daydreaming about for years.

This was almost a reality in 2025-26. Ultimately, former GM Tom Fitzgerald missed the opportunity and it didn’t happen.

Thus, Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin swooped in and ran the ball back for a touchdown. Wild believed Quinn was one of, if not the final piece of the puzzle that would ultimately lift the Stanley Cup.

Still, Minnesota was devastated by the inevitable Colorado avalanche last night.

With a new person in charge, many are wondering if Mehta will be able to do what the old front office could not.

Quinn is still under contract in Minnesota through next season. He’s coming off another big year, and the Wild are in no position to “sell.”

But contracts eventually end, conditions change, and the family works harder. Therefore this story will not end.

adventure part

If the Devils are serious about it, it will definitely be worth more than just prospects and picks.

Let’s preface this by saying that I’m not advocating that Satanists should or shouldn’t do this. All I’m saying is that it’s the kind of bold move Fitzgerald wouldn’t come close to.

The Wild’s eventual collapse in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs may be due to one very obvious thing. They have no central depth.

In New Jersey, the Devils have a frontline center with the same contract expiration date as Quinn and nearly identical cap hits for the rest of their deals.

Yes. We are talking about the captain. Nico Hischier.

Hischier has been the devil’s heart. He is a reliable, two-way center who leads by example. Trading him for a defenseman – even one as good as Quinn – will feel uncomfortable at first. But hat math is hat math. Quinn wants big money on his next deal. Hischier himself is about to get a big promotion. If you’re trying to fit three Hughes brothers under one hat while trying to build a contender, something’s got to give.

A deal that really catches Minnesota’s attention might look something like this:

• devils send: Nico Hischier, Simon Nemec (or Anton Silayev), this year’s first rounder, and maybe one more piece
• devils get:Quinn Hughes

This is a huge offer. You’re leaving your captain and a young NHL defenseman who has a shot at being a top-four prospect.

However, you are becoming arguably the best defenseman in the NHL. And the Wild have been yearning for a legitimate center for years.

Maybe bold doesn’t even cover it.

Will Mehta do this?

We’re talking about a move with a magnitude of 10 here.

However, this is not unfamiliar territory for Mehta. You have to remember, Mehta didn’t get a final shot with his former club, the Florida Panthers. However, he was instrumental in assisting GM Bill Zito with important moves that ultimately led them to consecutive Stanley Cups in the last two seasons.

One of those tricks? The foresight to move Jonathan Huberdeau and Mackenzie Weegar in exchange for Matthew Tkachuk.

In the end, that trade ultimately changed the Panthers’ trajectory from bubble threat to legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.

This was the final gamble in which the Panthers lost cash twice.

So no, don’t take such a bold step in front of Mehta. History shows that calculated risks are in its DNA.

Will this also work?

On paper, adding Quinn ahead of Jack and Luke would be ridiculous. The passing, the power play, the ability to control the game from the back end – this will inevitably force the Devils to lean back on their strengths, but on steroids.

As a result, you’ll be centering the situation and diluting your already weak prospect pool at the same time. That doesn’t mean Mehta can’t figure out another 2C solution, but it won’t be easy — they don’t grow on trees, especially ones like Hischier’s that undoubtedly have 1C quality. If this doesn’t change rapidly in the cup window, you’ll have years of regrets.

Mehta’s background in analytics and poker means he probably approaches trades differently than the previous guy. The lower the sentiment, the higher the expected value. Will this lead to any major accomplishments like this in his first few months on the job… who knows.

Right now it’s all smoke. No real traction beyond the usual off-season whispers that I’ve heard. In fact, it’s more likely that Quinn extends to Minnesota.

But that kind of boldness was lacking under the previous regime and that’s what the Devils ownership are hoping Mehta will bring to the table. If the Devils really want to unify the Hughes Triforce, Mehta will have to lure Guerin to the dance.

The offseason is young and Mehta is just getting started. However, he will undoubtedly want to make his mark on the roster.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

One of the things New Jersey Devils fans are hoping for is a first-round exit from the Minnesota Wild.

Why?

Because some people are still holding out hope that the Devils might take Hughes’ older brother if he is hesitant to commit to his new team. When the calendar turns to July 1, Hughes has one year left on his contract. So whether it’s a deal this summer or via free agency next offseason, the less successful Minnesota is, the more likely it is that Quinn won’t commit.

Personally, I see Quinn staying in Minnesota. But never say never. Especially when there are no results.

At the Links, a slow burn by Devils ownership before eventually firing Tom Fitzgerald.

Elsewhere, chaos in Philly, Alexis Lafreniere’s big deal, and goalie crisis in Buffalo?

Devil’s Trade Rumors and News

New Jersey Hockey Now: Why didn’t Devils ownership fire Tom Fitzgerald sooner? At Sunny Mehta’s introductory press conference, managing partner David Blitzer explained that “there was no eureka moment.”

📺 devil’s rink report: So, what priorities will Mehta face as he steps into his new role as general manager in New Jersey? We break it down in the latest Devils Rink report.

Full episode here 👇🏼

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NHL Trade Talk, News and National Hockey Now

Buffalo hockey now: Yes, that’s my name in the byline. I’m helping with our Buffalo Sabers coverage while they’re in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. First, after heading into Game 2, does Buffalo already have a goaltender crisis?

Forever Blueshirts: The New York Rangers knew their top six wasn’t scaring anyone. Part of the issue is that Alexis Lafreniere hasn’t taken the step forward expected. The former No. 1 overall pick explained that he knows he can get even better, and wants to maintain his strong position in 2025-26.

Athletic ($): Devils fans are expecting it to be bad, but after the Minnesota Wild’s loss to the Dallas Stars last night, their reaction in Game 4 while falling behind 2-1 in the series will really tell us all if they are any different.

If not, maybe Quinn Hughes isn’t ready to live in Minnie.

Boston Hockey Now: As for the Boston Bruins, they do not have a captain in this Stanley Cup playoffs. However, Jeremy Swayman is establishing himself as a leader.

Philly hockey now: What a series this is shaping up to be for the Philadelphia Flyers. Amidst massive chaos last night they took a 3-0 series lead over their rivals from Pennsylvania. More from Will James here.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

The New Jersey Devils have announced that defenseman Luke Hughes will be shut down for the remainder of the season so he can undergo the process to begin his offseason rehabilitation early.

The 22-year-old blueliner has appeared in 68 games this season, recording six goals and 35 points.

Hughes suffered a shoulder injury on January 19 on the road against the Calgary Flames. In the second period, he tangled with Flames forward Justin Kirkland on the boards, dislocating his shoulder in the process. The injury took him out of the game shortly thereafter, placing him on long-term injured reserve.

A source confirmed that Hughes had surgery related to a shoulder injury.

At the time, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported that Hughes would not go under the knife to repair a shoulder injury.

“After consulting with doctors, Luke Hughes will not undergo surgery at this time and will instead rehabilitate his upper body injury.

“Devils placed Hughes on LTIR today; expected to sideline him during Olympic break [it’s to be determined]”

Hughes returned on February 28 against the St. Louis Blues – missing only 10 games with the Olympic break in between.

The Devils are officially out of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs on Tuesday after losing to the Philadelphia Flyers and the Ottawa Senators beat the Tampa Bay Lightning.

It makes perfect sense for Hughes to begin his rehab as soon as possible, with a source also confirming that Hughes is expected to be ready for training camp in September.

The Devils will face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night, with Simon Nemec set to take over No. 1 power play duties.

Dennis Cholowski is stepping into Hughes’ shoes on the blueline. No other recalls are expected at this time.

The Devils have four games remaining on their schedule for the remainder of the 2025–26 season.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

Jack Hughes did enough to re-establish himself as a New Jersey Devils loyalist by performing in the Olympics. Then he scored the golden goal. And amid his wild success last month, when he returned, he expressed his devotion to the Devils, which certainly put everyone’s minds at ease considering the Quinn Hughes debacle earlier this year.

Now, Michael Russo explains how the Minnesota Wild GM is preparing for his next big change. Could it be Auston Matthews? More on that below, but if that’s the case, Devils fans no longer have to worry about Jack being ready to play alongside Quinn for Minnesota, if that happens.

Additionally, Hughes set a new record in New Jersey.

Elsewhere, there’s Evgeni Malkin’s contract update, Artemi Panarin’s Broadway return, and the Hockey World Cup’s three host cities.

Devil’s Trade Rumors and News

New Jersey Hockey Now: Amid a thrilling overtime win thanks to some heroics from Paul Cotter, Jack Hughes set a new Devils franchise record en route to a 4–3 victory over the Bruins.

In case you missed it, here’s the thrilling overtime goal by Kotter.

Here’s Paul Cotter’s hilarious insight into his shootout winner and his thought process going into the one-on-one with Joonas Korpisalo.

📺 devil’s rink report: Is Tom Fitzgerald on the hot seat, or did his comments at the 2026 NHL trade deadline feel like he’s really going nowhere? Pasha Eshghi joins me for the latest Devils Rink Report to discuss what the GM needs to do to take the heat off himself if he does indeed return next season.

Full episode here 👇🏼 Watch the full Devils Rink report here:

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athletic ($): It’s amazing to me that the United States has won Olympic gold medals in all three of men’s, women’s, and Paralympic sledge hockey, and yet, the World Cup of Hockey will be held exclusively outside the US. In 2028, the NHL announced yesterday that the host cities will be Calgary, Edmonton and Prague.

More confirmed ($): Perhaps Devils fans will feel relieved if this happens. Could Minnesota Wild GM Bill Geering pursue Auston Matthews this summer? It appears Guerin is preparing for his next superstar swing, and something has to give in Toronto. Of course, that would put Jack Hughes out of the Wild’s reach, and Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald has no desire to move their franchise face in any way. More from Michael Russo.

pittsburgh hockey now: Evgeni Malkin doesn’t seem concerned at all about a potential next contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. here’s why.

Forever Blueshirts: In his return to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Rangers, Artemi Panarin provided an assist in the Los Angeles Kings’ 4–1 win.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

保罗·科特（Paul Cotter）是新泽西魔鬼队在一对一比赛中与守门员在他面前的最佳球员。

在保德信中心主场迎战波士顿棕熊队的比赛中，科特在加时赛中攻入制胜球，这也为杰克·休斯完成了三次助攻的夜晚，他是魔鬼队的新纪录保持者。

首节刚开始四分钟，魔鬼队的防守就陷入沉睡，棕熊队让他们付出了代价。

亨利·约基哈尤 (Henri Jokiharju) 的远射被雅各布·马克斯特罗姆 (Jacob Markstrom) 挡出。然而，冰球被一直站在网前的大卫·帕斯特纳克弹开，他收集了松动的冰球，并将其滑入马克斯特罗姆的五洞之间，棕熊队以 1-0 领先。

棕熊队在整个第一节中继续统治着冰球。棕熊队进球后大约四分钟，布伦登·狄龙和马克·卡斯特利奇在新泽西网前的紧张气氛中放下了手套。每个人都因战斗而获得五分钟的专业。

波士顿队继续向新泽西队施加压力，最终在帕维尔·扎查 (Pavel Zacha) 完成由维克托·阿维德森 (Viktor Arvidsson) 带领的奇人冲球机会后将领先优势扩大一倍，将比分改写为 2-0。

魔鬼队在第二节开局很快，在冰球落下的第一分钟内就进球了。杰克在中立区强行失误，开始向波士顿区进发。这位魔鬼队球星给已经落后于博顿防守的康纳·布朗喂球，让他突破，他在拦网方面得分，将魔鬼队的落后优势缩小到2-1。

杰克的主要助攻创造了魔鬼队的队史纪录，他现在是新泽西队历史上最快拿到 400 分的球员，在 414 场比赛中达到了这一里程碑。

中间的画面仍然是魔鬼队，他们试图消除第一节的不足。新泽西队的顶线继续发挥作用，让棕熊队的防守头疼不已。比赛刚开始八分钟多，杰克就带队冲上冰面，在冰面中央给布朗喂球，布朗随后将冰球传给杰斯珀·布拉特，在右圈获得了一次机会，最终以2-2扳平了比分。

第三节比赛刚开始不到3分钟，魔鬼队就以3-2领先。马克西姆·齐普拉科夫（Maxim Tsyplakov）反手将冰球射入球网，并将球传给保罗·科特（Paul Cotter），后者得分。

然而，帕斯特纳克很快用自己灵活的脚趾拖拽做出了回应，并将冰球滑过马克斯特罗姆，棕熊队前锋假装错位，将比分扳成三分。

魔鬼队和棕熊队互罚一连串的点球，首先是卡斯特利奇对科特的一记重击。乔纳森·科瓦切维奇挺身而出，与棕熊队前锋脱下手套，迫使卡斯特利奇在周一进行第二次战斗。

新泽西队随后犯下了三个小罚球，而波士顿则被吹罚了一个。然而，两支球队都没有利用这一优势。

魔鬼队和棕熊队需要加时赛，惊心动魄的比赛差点进入点球大战。

然而，杰克在中立区接住了一个松动的冰球，并将其推到冰面上，送给了疾驰的科特。在突破后，科特在加时赛中攻入制胜球，巩固了魔鬼队在多场比赛中的第二场胜利。

马克斯特罗姆在 22 次射门中阻挡了 19 个冰球，赢得了本赛季的第 20 场胜利。

詹姆斯是一位完全合格的新泽西魔鬼队击败记者，为新泽西冰球现在在 Sportsnaut 和 … 更多关于詹姆斯·尼科尔斯

Paul Couture is the New Jersey Devils’ best player and they have a goaltender across from them.

Hosting the Boston Bruins at the Prudential Center, Cotter scored the overtime winner, which also capped a three assist night for Jack Hughes, a new record holder for the Devils.

Just four minutes into the first period, the Devils’ defense was caught sleeping and the Bruins made them pay.

Henri Jokiharju’s shot from the point was blocked by Jacob Markstrom. However, the puck bounced off David Pastrnak, who was standing at the net-front the entire time, collected the loose puck, and slid it between Markstrom’s five-hole to give the Bruins a 1–0 lead.

The Bruins dominated the puck throughout the first period. About four minutes after the Bruins’ goal, Brandon Dillon and Mark Kastelic dropped mitts after New Jersey created tension in front of the net. Each got five minutes of majors to fight.

Boston kept the pressure on New Jersey, and eventually doubled their lead when Pavel Zacha finished off a stray chance headed by Viktor Arvidsson to make the game 2–0.

The Devils got off to a fast start in the second period and scored within the first minute of puck drop. Jack forced a turnover on neutral territory and began moving toward the Boston area. The Devils star fed Connor Brown, who was already behind the Boughton defense, provoking him for a breakaway, and he lowered the blocker side to cut the Devils’ deficit to 2–1.

Jack’s primary assist set a Devils franchise record, as he is now the fastest player to reach 400 points for New Jersey, reaching the milestone in 414 games.

The Devils remained all-out in the middle frame as they tried to erase their first period deficit. New Jersey’s top line continued to give the Bruins defense headaches. With just over eight minutes gone in the period, the Jacks made a quick move up the ice, feeding Brown in the middle of the ice, who then passed the puck to Jesper Bratt for a one-time chance in the right circle to tie the game at 2–2.

Just three minutes into the third period the Devils immediately took a 3-2 lead. Maxim Tsyplyakov drove to the net with the puck on his backhand, and fired it into the slot for Paul Cotter who scored.

Still, Pastrnak responded immediately by pulling off a slick toe-up of his own, and slid the puck to Markstrom, who the Bruins forward knocked out of position to restore the tie at three.

There was a barrage of penalties between the Devils and Bruins, starting with Kastelic’s hard hit on Cotter. Bruins forward Johnathan Kovacevic stepped up to drop the gloves, forcing Kastelic to fight for the second time on Monday.

New Jersey then committed three minor penalties, and Boston was whistled for one. Still, neither team took advantage.

The Devils and Bruins needed overtime, and the exciting period almost turned into a shootout.

However, Jack collected a loose puck in the neutral zone and pushed it to Cotter, drawing a streak across the ice. On a breakaway, Cotter scored the overtime winner to solidify the Devils’ second win in as many games.

Markstrom stopped 19 pucks on 22 shots to earn his 20th win of the season.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

Well, the New Jersey Devils may have given up three leads, but they still came up with two points.

A back-and-forth affair between the Devils and the Los Angeles Kings ended in victory when Jack Hughes sealed the deal with the game-winning power play goal in the third period.

The Devils took a 1–0 lead on a goal off the stick of Cody Glass at 7:58 of the first period.

Arseniy Gritsyuk collected the loose puck on the right wall and fed the glass into the slot for a one-time chance, beating Anton Forsberg to give New Jersey a one-goal advantage.

Three minutes later, Nico Hischier scored on a rebound by Timo Meier to give the Devils a 2–0 lead in the first period.

New Jersey began the second period of attack. However, Dougie Hamilton sent the Devils to the early penalty kill after being whistled for interference.

On the Los Angeles power play, Anze Kopitar cut the Devils’ lead to 2–1 by hitting a backdoor pass from Bradent Clark.

Just over two minutes later, Artemi Panarin tied the game, skating the puck into the slot and passing it past Jake Allen to tie things at two.

The Kings scored three consecutive goals to take the lead at 11:43 of the middle frame. Clark walked to the Devils blueline with the puck on his stick and passed it to Taylor Ward at the top of the left circle, who beat Allen to give the Kings a 3–2 lead.

It didn’t take long for the Devils to tie the game in the third period.

Lenny Haminaho drove quickly to the Kings’ zone and took a good step to beat the defense. The Finnish rookie fed Gritsyuk backdoor, and Gritsyuk batted in the puck that was in mid-air and tied the game at three.

Quinton Byfield was later whistled for tripping, forcing New Jersey back on the power play for the third time. Hischier played well on the man advantage and the Devils regained the lead at 12:41 of the third period.

However, Haminaho’s puck was modest and the Devils were sent back to the PK, and Kopitar collected his second of the night to tie the game at four.

Kopitar’s second goal of the night saw him break the Los Angeles franchise record for points, the 1,308th of his career.

The Devils gained another man advantage after the whistle for holding Clarke.

Hughes took no time in giving the Devils their third lead of the night, scoring a goal on a FC-off draw to make the game 5–4 in favor of New Jersey.

Meyer deflected the empty-net goal to seal a 6–4 Devils victory.

Jake Allen made 27 saves on 31 shots and earned his 13th win of the season.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

Certainly, the kind of loss the New Jersey Devils suffered on Thursday isn’t easy to swallow. This is a self-inflicted wound. Perhaps their $6 million goaltender shouldn’t have started his seventh game in a row. Perhaps the defense should have given him better support. And maybe they shouldn’t have waited until the last 10 minutes of the game to make a real push.

However, it all happened, and they ultimately lost to a team that sold their best players by the 2026 NHL trade deadline, and are in the running for worst team in the NHL. Despite the way the Devils’ season has gone, it’s still disappointing.

After the game, Jack Hughes was clearly disappointed. This is the first time we have seen him like this since the Olympic break. That locker room reaction is linked below.

Elsewhere, this summer’s looming free agency, Toronto is set to listen to William Nylander and post-deadline trades.

Devil’s Trade Rumors and News

New Jersey Hockey Now: This is hardly Devils-related news, but do you remember when Evgeni Dadonov was illegally traded by the Ottawa Senators to the Vegas Golden Knights – which was ultimately voided? Yes, we will assume the NHL has reviewed Ottawa’s appeal. More information on sentencing senators.

Last night was a good night to be a former devil. Two of those came to Jacob Markstrom en route to New Jersey’s embarrassing loss to the Calgary Flames.

Here’s Jack Hughes from the locker room after the game expressing his frustrations with some things, including the Devils’ lack of scoring ability.

📺 devil’s rink report: Tom Fitzgerald and the Devils certainly moved away from the strengths that made them so successful in the 2022-23 season. However, it’s not too late to fix it. And, no, I don’t mean in 2025-26. But, moving forward, the Devils can return to form and regain the form that saw them explode a few seasons ago. I take a deeper look at the latest Devils Rink report.

Full episode here 👇🏼 Watch the full Devils Rink report here:

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NHL Trade Talk, News and National Hockey Now

athletic: That’s why the already low number of pending unrestricted free agents this summer could get even lower with a potential upcoming contract extension.

If the Devils are to re-arm, it will have to be through a trade.

boston hockey now: The 2026 NHL trade deadline has passed, but the AHL deadline has not. The Boston Bruins and Nashville Predators engaged in a minor league swap yesterday.

San Jose Hockey Now: EBUG Alert! The San Jose Sharks signed Kyle Chauvet – who mans the net for the University of New Hampshire – to replace the injured Yarslov Askarok, while backing up Alex Nedeljkovic.

Toronto Hockey Now: Are the Toronto Maple Leafs willing to listen to William Nylander in a potential trade? One insider thinks they are.

Forever Blueshirts:Here’s how the Adam Fox conundrum is hanging over the head of the New York Rangers retool.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes met with the media on Friday afternoon following the NHL trade deadline, which resulted in no deal for the Habs.

According to Hughes, the Canadiens had the outlines of a potential deal, however it fell through in the final minutes of the deadline.

“We spent a lot of time on one case in particular,” he said. “And it came down to the wire, but that doesn’t stop us from revisiting it in the summer.”

Without trying to read too much between the lines, it seems like the Habs were actively involved in a trade for a player like Robert Thomas or Vincent Trocheck, two talented centers who should still be available in a trade after the regular season and playoffs are over.

When pressed for more details about a potential deal, Hughes once again pointed to the possibility that a trade could be completed in a matter of months.

He said, “I’d love to answer, but maybe you’ll find out in the summer.”

As far as pending unrestricted free agent Patrik Laine is concerned, Hughes suggests that despite all the trade talks approaching the deadline, he won’t be a distraction moving forward.

Hughes explained, “Patrick is part of the team like the other players, he’s not a distraction.” “I expect Patrick to be available for the team based on the decisions made by the coaches.”

If the Habs had pulled off a significant trade, Hughes noted that it would likely have resulted in other trade dominoes falling.

“We had some things that would have happened if the deal we were working on had gone through,” he said. “Yes, it was an important business for us.”

Montreal Canadiens Brass Tacks

As for the lack of action, Hughes reminded fans that the team actually made some big deals earlier in the season, including the trade that brought star defenseman Noah Dobson to the Canadiens.

“I think our players are happy to be here and they’re happy with the group,” Hughes said. “They are not unaware of the fact that we have taken significant steps since the end of last season to improve our team.

“Part of the message to the group is that we like these players, we have good hockey players, and we have good hockey players that are not playing.”

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

Liverpool may soon face a delicate decision over Alisson Becker, with the Italian claiming there is interest from both Inter and Juventus ahead of the summer window.

La Repubblica reports that the two Serie A giants are actively assessing the goalkeeper market. Inter are preparing for life after Yan Sommar, whose contract expires in a few months. Meanwhile, Juventus are reflecting on Michele Di Gregorio’s inconsistent performances.

Alison, 33, has now re-emerged in that discussion. But this is not the first time Juventus have been linked. last week, gazzetta dello sport It is claimed that the Turin club have already included the Liverpool goalkeeper on their shortlist. guglielmo vicario of tottenham. The Spurs stopper is valued at €25-30m (£21.5m-£26m).

In that context, the Allison was designed as a more affordable option.

Growing Italian interest

Republic Now add inter into the equation. The Nerazzurri are expected to replace Sommer this summer and want an experienced option between the positions.

Juventus, meanwhile, admire Atalanta’s Marco Carneschi, who is worth €45m (£38.5m). However, he is considered difficult to reward. This makes the Liverpool No. 1 an increasingly realistic target.

Alisson is effectively under contract at Anfield until 2027. That detail, combined with Liverpool’s prior agreement of around €34m (£29m) for Giorgi Mamardashvili, is seen as leverage in Italy.

In short, there is a perception that Liverpool are structurally preparing for succession.

Richard Hughes’ dilemma

This is where the situation becomes sensitive. Liverpool have already committed a significant sum of money to Mamardashvili. Yet Arne Slott continues to select Allison whenever he sees fit. The Brazilian remains the first choice and arguably the most reliable goalkeeper in the Premier League.

It forms a strategic crossroads. If Liverpool intend to extract maximum value, this summer could represent the last strong opportunity. Goalkeepers entering their mid-thirties rarely receive significant fees, even if their contracts last more than 12 months.

On the other hand, there is competitive risk in moving Mamardashvili into the No. 1 role.

There is no indication that Liverpool are actively pursuing Alisson. Yet, with Juventus circling again and Inter now monitoring the situation, Richard Hughes may soon find himself considering one of the most controversial transfer calls of the summer.

After hearing the words of confirmation from Jack Hughes on Wednesday night, New Jersey Devils fans have certainly taken a lot of comfort in the franchise forward’s future with the organization.

Hughes went with Team USA to Milan, Italy with one goal. To win the gold medal. Little did he know that his goal would be to seal the deal. However, Team USA felt the gold was theirs.

“Obviously we had a lot of confidence in that locker room,” Hughes said. There were a lot of people like alphas in a room, you know? It’s the same with Canada, but there are a lot of big dogs in the room, a lot of guys who believe in themselves, and believe in the group. I think for our team, it didn’t matter who got it, we were just so happy that we got it done. And there was so much confidence in that room that we were going to move forward, and we did.”

Hughes scored the golden goal in overtime to upset Canada and win the gold medal for the United States for the first time since 1980.

The party was going on from there. Team USA arrived in Miami, Florida to celebrate and then traveled to the White House, accepting an invitation from United States President Donald Trump.

“Obviously, it’s been some of the best three days of my life,” Hughes said. “I had a lot of fun with that group of guys, and I’m sure everyone on the team is probably wishing it was still going on, but it’s good to get back into my routine and get back to work here.”

After the White House cameo, Hughes headed back to New Jersey for the Devils’ tilt against the Buffalo Sabers when the NHL schedule resumes on Wednesday.

His legs weren’t right yet, but as the game progressed, he started looking better and better.

“He had a lot of short shifts early on and he’s not a short shift guy,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “If he’s giving you short shifts, you know he’s not feeling it early. But I felt as the game went on, he was increasing his shifts. He wants to be there and you almost have to take him off. [the ice] Because he wants to bring change.

“All things considered, I thought he gave us a lot.”

The Devils’ usual struggles continued on Wednesday. The scoring problems continued despite shot totals and they lost their first game to the Sabres, 2–1. At this point, New Jersey’s season is almost over.

Combine this with the idea that the Devils failed to add the very available Quinn Hughes – Jack’s older brother and Team USA teammate – earlier this year and many began to worry that the Devils could lose their franchise face at some point.

This extended to Jack’s pre- and post-game speeches. Before and after the game, Hughes expressed his love for New Jersey amid questions about his big moment in Milan, which will forever be etched in USA Hockey history.

“I really love living in New Jersey and playing in New Jersey. For some reason, when I got drafted, obviously I was their first overall pick, and I’m an American kid, but I feel like they’ve accepted me so deeply. I feel like, I’m their guy, you know? I’m their guy. I come to these games, and every time I drive by, I just think about that when I see people walking by. [around the Prudential Center] With a Hughes jersey at 4:30. I’m opening my window and yelling at them. They like it, you know?

“But just to represent New Jersey, to represent our fans, like I’m very proud to be a Devil. I’m very proud to play for the Blitzer family, the Harris family, the Fitzgeralds. These guys, it means a lot to me, so to represent them through all of this… just… New Jersey means a lot to me.”

See, the thing is this. Jack could ask questions about the Olympics and tell it all about himself and how big this moment was to him. Instead, he placed all the blame on Team USA, the United States Hockey Development Program, and the Devils for helping them get to this point.

He didn’t need to profess his love for New Jersey. He didn’t need to talk about ownership, or the highly scrutinized Devils GM.

Still, despite public admissions earlier this year that Jack wanted to play with Quinn in addition to younger brother Luke Hughes, Jack made sure the Devils and their faithful knew he held them close.

He shouldn’t have done this.

So, Jack went to the 2026 Winter Olympics and came back an accomplished man. It’s a moment he and Team USA will never forget. However, Jack made it clear that he has the same ambitions for himself in New Jersey. Except he’s not chasing gold in New Jersey. He is looking for a silver medal in the form of a Stanley Cup.

Maybe…after all, the New Jersey speculation about Quinn isn’t over.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

The Olympic break is over and the NHL schedule resumes tonight. Upon their return to the docks the New Jersey Devils will host the Buffalo Sabers in one of eight games. It’s a quick turnaround from the Olympic Games, with Team USA celebrating their victory in Miami and then visiting the White House in Washington, D.C., so will Devils franchise forward Jack Hughes play tonight in Newark?

According to the Devils, Hughes will not participate in Wednesday’s morning skate after returning to New Jersey from the White House late Tuesday night.

However, he would hold a press conference after the game that would detract from the post-game locker room media brawls with the players and head coach Sheldon Keefe.

The Devils expect Hughes to be ready and playing against the Sabers when the puck drops around 7:08 pm ET.

Hughes scored the golden goal for Team USA to lead them past Canada, capping a tremendous tournament for the Devils franchise after facing some criticism before the start of the Olympic Games.

Hughes scored four goals—leading Team USA—and seven points in six games during the tournament.

What started as a trial run on the fourth line after a disappointing 4-nation face-off tournament last season ended with glory as he became America’s hero, helping capture gold for the first time since the 1980 Miracle on Ice.

Now, the focus turns back to New Jersey where the Devils have a 2.4% chance of making the playoffs. The Devils have 25 games remaining on their schedule, and they are 11 points out of a playoff position behind the New York Islanders in the Metropolitan Division and the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference wild card race.

In 36 games for the Devils this season, Hughes scored 12 goals and 37 points despite missing 21 games due to two separate injuries.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

Jack Hughes almost didn’t get the chance to become an American hero.

Sitting in the penalty box late in the third period of Sunday’s 1-1 gold-medal game against Canada, the superstar New Jersey Devils forward was more likely to lose the game to the United States than win the game for his country.

“I took my picture on a barstool [Sports] Like America hates that guy because Canada scores on the power play,” Hughes said after the game. “I was saying ‘Oh my God, it’s here.’

“I’m glad we got out of the pickle I got us into.”

Still, when Hughes’ teammates picked him up, he made sure to return the favor by capping a big turnover at both ends of the rink with the game-winning goal at 1:39 of overtime in the United States’ 2–1 overtime win over Canada at the Milan Santagiuliano Arena, sealing the USA’s first gold medal since 1980.

Most Devils fans who were “done” with Jack Hughes before the tournament may need to placate them with a “sorry Jack” chant given the Lindy Ruff treatment during the 2022-23 season, especially if he uses his first Olympics as a springboard for the rest of this season and beyond.

Hughes finished with four goals and seven points and led the Americans in both categories. He tied with Nathan MacKinnon (Canada) and Juraj Slafkowski of Slovakia for the second-most goals among all players.

“I think Jack had a great tournament,” USA coach Mike Sullivan said after the game. “The goals he scored were big-time goals. … I think Jack was at the center of a lot of good things that happened for our team. He’s a high-risk player. He played at his best when the stakes were highest.”

Hughes proved his coach’s point by scripting two elite plays that saved the Americans and allowed himself to cement his legacy in USA Hockey history.

defense on conor mcdavid

Hughes did not start overtime on the ice, but he left for the Americans’ third shift of the extra session.

His first overtime job? Playing defense against the best player in the world.

That’s Connor McDavid attacking Hughes and the US net with gusto. He took the puck from his linemate and broke free to Canadian star Maclin Celebrini at his own blue line.

“I came right off the bench,” Hughes said, before addressing Sullivan, “You were probably liking it, right Sully?” McDavid is coming at me.

McDavid eats up even elite-level NHL defensemen in this kind of rush every night. He has 96 points in 58 games this season and is averaging 1.5 points per game for his decade-plus in the NHL and was named MVP of the tournament after leading the entire Olympic field with 13 points.

And in this game he’s being defended by a 5-11, 175-pound forward.

“When the best player in the world — maybe ever — comes at you in overtime in the gold-medal game and you’re on the forward, my first thought was ‘I’ve got to gap up,'” Hughes said, “and I was like ‘I can’t gap up, he’ll come right at me.’

Still, Hughes did what he needed to do to slow down McDavid and disrupt any potential scoring opportunities.

“He did a great job,” Sullivan said. “He recognized that he had no opportunity to pay attention to it. He just absorbed it. I think he did a great job defending her.”

“I just dunked and hopefully he couldn’t get around me because there wasn’t enough space between me and the net,” Hughes said. “Honestly that’s what happened.”

poke check on black makar

Hughes’ second defensive play may be lost compared to McDavid’s body and the golden goal. But his help in getting out of the defensive zone was no less important.

Hughes deflected the puck away from McDavid and took it into the back of the net before hitting the puck past USA defenseman Zach Werenski. But the forechecking McDavid put pressure on Werenski and he delivered a soft backhand pass to Hughes on the way out of the zone.

Still, the dark caper at the blue line – the defenseman’s Connor McDavid – was in sight. Makar was named one of two defenders on the All-Olympic team, along with Jack’s brother Quinn Hughes, as he had six points in six games and Canada’s only goal in the gold medal game.

Werenski was breaking out of the USA defensive zone to make offensive plays. So if Makar intercepts the pass — or even makes a strong tip of it — McDavid is all alone on goalie Connor Hellebuyck and scores the OT winner for the second time in as many best-on-best tournaments.

Nevertheless, it was Hughes who managed to beat Makar and Werenski to create a three-on-one that ultimately led to his goal.

Finding and scoring cool ice

The puck went all the way into the USA offensive zone, where Werenski won the puck battle from Nathan MacKinnon. Dylan Larkin went to back up Werenski, while McDavid defended, and Hughes made a layup to get into prime scoring territory.

With Makar trailing in the game, Werenski found Hughes. Hughes beat Binnington with a snip between the pads, which certainly reminded Devils fans of what has made them one of the NHL’s elite 3-on-3 overtime teams over the past three seasons.

Hughes’ goal would change his life. Still, after scoring possibly the greatest goal in American hockey history, he was more focused on fulfilling a dream and doing the same with his USA Hockey brethren.

“We’re a great team,” Hughes said. “We wanted to go through Canada and beat them, and it could have gone either way tonight, but it’s an incredible win for the Americans.”

Pat Pickens is an award-winning sports writer and author who has covered the NHL since 2013. He reveals more about Pat Pickens.