USHL U.S. National Team

Jack Hughes Selected First Overall at 2019 NHL Draft

Published on June 21, 2019 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


VANCOUVER, B.C. - Jack Hughes (Orlando, Fla.) became the fifth player in NTDP history to be selected first overall at the NHL Draft when he was selected by the New Jersey Devils on Friday night. Hughes joins Rick Dipietro (Winthrop, Mass.), Erik Johnson (Bloomington, Minn.), Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y.) and Auston Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz.) as the only NTDP alumni to be drafted with the first overall pick.

A two-year player at the NTDP and captain of the Under-18 team during his second season, Hughes set multiple records during his time with the program, both at the junior and international levels. Hughes played in 110 games with the NTDP, scoring 74 goals and adding 154 assists for 228 points and a 2.07 points-per-game average. The 154 assists and 228 points both sit atop their respective categories in the NTDP record book while Hughes' 78 assists this past season also established the single-season assists record at the NTDP. His 116 points in 2017-18 sit one behind Matthews for the single-season points record at the NTDP while his 112 points this past season is third-best in the program's history.

The Orlando native also set multiple records representing the United States on the international stage. Hughes was chosen to represent the U.S. at the 2019 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Vancouver and Victoria, B.C. He skated in four games and collected four assists, helping the U.S. claim a silver medal to extend its unprecedented medal streak in tournament play to four consecutive World Junior Championships.

Following his performance at the World Junior Championship, Hughes was chosen to captain the U.S. squad at the 2019 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship in Ornskoldsvik and Umea, Sweden. At the tournament, Hughes scored nine goals and added 11 assists for 20 points. Both the 11 assists and 20 points set U.S. records for a single Under-18 Men's World Championship while his point total came just one shy of tying the overall single-tournament record.

Furthermore, Hughes scored five goals and added seven assists for 12 points at the 2018 Under-18 Men's World Championship in Chelyabinsk and Magnitogorsk, Russia. With 18 career assists at the tournament, Hughes set the all-time U.S. record for most assists at the event while his 32 points stand as the most all-time by any player at the event.

After his performance at the Under-18 Men's World Championship, Hughes was selected to represent the U.S. at the IIHF Men's World Championship. The youngest U.S. player to ever skate in an IIHF Men's World Championship, Hughes became just the fourth player ever to play at the IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship, World Junior Championship and Men's World Championship in the same year.

Hughes recorded three assists at the Men's World Championship and was chosen as the U.S. Player of the Game in the team's final contest against Russia when he recorded two assists with a plus-two rating.

NOTES: After being selected by New Jersey, Hughes became the second member of his family to be selected in the first round of the NHL Draft. His brother, Quinn, was selected seventh overall by the Vancouver Canucks at the 2018 NHL Draft ... Hughes joins Johnson as the only two players to be selected first overall directly from the NTDP ...

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United States Hockey League Stories from June 21, 2019


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