Jack Hughes has Officially Reached Superstar Status With The Devils

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes has officially established himself as a perennial superstar in today’s NHL.

The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, Jack Hughes, has officially solidified himself as a genuine top 5 talent in the NHL as he continues to dominate in the 2021-22 campaign for the New Jersey Devils. What separates this season from the previous two? He now has the “wow” factor.

When talking about the “wow” factor, whenever a player like Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche or Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks steps on the ice, everyone glues their eyes to them because they know that he can create a jaw-dropping play at any moment. Jack Hughes is now one of these players.

When he gets the puck in the defensive zone and he kicks into full speed after two strides, you can’t help but rise to your feet as something big is about to happen, whether that’s a coast-to-coast goal or one of the nicest no-look passes you’ll ever see, Hughes is going to do something incredible with the puck when he touches it. This is the “wow” factor and he is now one of the few players in the NHL who have it.

Despite missing a month after the first two games of the regular season this year due to injury, he’s put together an unbelievable season scoring 24 goals and 54 total points in 46-games played. Kaapo Kakko, the No. 2 overall pick in 2019 by the New York Rangers, has 54 points in his career (151-games played). Leading up to the draft, the argument between the two was that Kakko “played against men” in Finland. Imagine thinking someone who scored 34 goals and 112 points in 50 games for the USNTDP is a draft bust.

In November, the New Jersey Devils signed Jack Hughes to a massive 8-year x $64 million ($8 million AAV) contract extension that kicks in during the 2022-23 season. Many people at the time considered this to be a massive overpay for someone who hadn’t proved to be a legitimate No. 1 draft pick. Since he’s signed this deal, however, he’s scored 22 goals and 51 points in 44-games played… This has quickly become the biggest steal in the NHL. Imagine what his contract would look like if the Devils waited just one or two months.

There’s zero question about it, if Jack Hughes plays 82-games next season, he will score 100 points. Ladies and gentlemen, the New Jersey Devils officially have a perennial superstar on their roster and he’s going to be there for the next 8+ seasons. The Hughes era is only beginning when his brother Luke and Alexander Holtz join the team, this is going to be one of the most dominant groups in the league and it’ll be led by Jack Hughes. The Devils’ reign of terror is near.