Three New Jersey Devils players were invited to compete for a spot on the Team USA 2026 Olympic roster: Jack Hughes, Luke Hughes, and Brett Pesce. Only one player made the final 25-man roster.
Did Team USA make a mistake, or was their decision to take only one Devil a good call?
Jack Hughes was the one Devils player named to the Team USA 2026 Milan Olympic Men’s Hockey roster. Joining him is his oldest brother, Minnesota Wild defender Quinn Hughes.
However, the third brother, Luke, was not among the 25 players chosen to represent Team USA at the national level.
Brett Pesce, another Devil, was also left off the roster.
This raises the overarching question: Should Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce have been chosen for the Olympic team?
Examining their recent performances provides some insight.
Starting with Luke Hughes, his performance has declined this season. After earning 44 points in 71 games last year, Hughes has had a slow start to his 2025-26 campaign. This season, at 22, he has 21 points in 40 games. His defensive play, much like the rest of the Devils' lineup, has struggled.
Given these statistics, it appears that Luke is not currently among the top eight U.S. defenders, or at least has not played well enough to be considered one this year. While there is hope for his future, the national team’s decision appears justified for this Olympic cycle.
Turning to Brett Pesce, he also missed out on a roster spot, and his season has presented challenges as well. The defender has played just 16 games this season, earning four points. For comparison, in 72 games last season, Pesce had 17 points, offering additional context for Team USA’s evaluation. Additionally, Pesce has missed several games recently due to injury.
The list of defenders selected for Team USA at the Olympics is below.
Defense
Quinn Hughes, Minnesota*
Charlie McAvoy, Boston*
Zach Werenski, Columbus
Brock Faber, Minnesota
Seth Jones, Florida
Jaccob Slavin, Carolina
Although no Devils will be on the blue line, the franchise will still be represented in February, as Jack Hughes takes the ice for Team USA on the global stage.
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