2019 first overall pick Jack Hughes signed his entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils. The three-year deal is laden with performances bonuses for the 18-year-old standout.
It takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice to make it to the NHL, and sometimes a little bit of luck is a part of the equation. Some would give anything to pursue their dream of playing professional hockey. New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes just realized that dream, but he had to make a deal with the Devil, literally.
Okay, maybe not the Devil, but Ray Shero. And maybe that “deal” was an entry-level contract. Hughes, the first overall pick in June’s 2019 NHL draft, signed his entry-level contract with the Devils on Friday morning.
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NHL.com is reporting that the contract has an annual average value of $925,000. NJ.com went on to add that Hughes contract includes an additional $2.85 million per season in performance bonuses.
That could up Hughes potential yearly yearning to $3.375 million, although his cap hit would remain at $925,000 for the duration of his three-year contract.
So far, Hughes has shown a great appreciation for the Devils organization. The humble 18-year-old seems genuinely thrilled to see his NHL dream come true. He’s also said all the right things to get Devils fans excited for what the future has in store.
"“There’s a logo, obviously, but there’s a lot that comes with it,” Hughes told the Devils website. “A lot of responsibility, a lot of things you kind of take with pride. It’s really exciting to be a part of the Devils. It’s such a tight-knit group, tight-knit organization. It’s the kind of place where you treat the janitor with as much respect as you do the president. For me, it’s a really great organization to be a part of and I’m just excited.”"
At the end of the day the NHL is business. Players, agents, managers and owners all get caught up in the complex world of contracts and cap hits, but none of that has hit the young Hughes yet. To him, he’s still an 18-year-old kid taking it all in, and dreaming of what lies ahead.
"“It’s kind of crazy. Growing up, buying jerseys, looking into stores and looking at players’ jerseys and now, for your jersey to be up on the sales rack, being sold, I think it’s really cool and maybe it will be pretty funny to see a little kid wearing an 86-Hughes jersey.”"
Hughes signing his entry-level deal comes one day after Kaapo Kakko signed his. The Finnish winger was chosen second overall by the New York Rangers right after the rival Devils picked Hughes. Within 24 hours, the future of these two franchises was signed, sealed and delivered.