Before Jack Hughes stepped onto the ice at Prudential Center for his pre-game warm-up, an American Flag could be seen draped over the shoulder of a fan behind Jake Allen’s net.
New Jersey Devils fans lined the glass, waiting for Hughes and his teammates on Wednesday night, and scattered among the crowd were USA hockey jerseys and a homemade sign that included the words “American Hero” in red and blue marker.
The applause was loud as New Jersey’s no. 86 skated onto the ice at 6:29 p.m. under the bright lights of his home arena. Minutes later, when he appeared on the Jumbotron, Hughes acknowledged the crowd's reaction by pumping his fist in the air (an appropriate response on Devils Down the Shore night).
Before the puck dropped between New Jersey and the Buffalo Sabres, the Devils held a pre-game welcome home ceremony for the seven Devils players who represented their respective countries, as well as General Manager Tom Fitzgerald and Equipment Manager Chris “Frosty” Scoppetto, at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
At the start of the ceremony, Scoppetto was seen wearing a t-shirt featuring the now-iconic photo of Hughes from the gold medal game, as he and Fitzgerald were on the Devils bench holding the American flag.
Then the 24-year-old took the spotlight.
Hughes skated to center ice to deliver a speech, but before a single word was said, he called for his USA teammate, Buffalo forward Tage Thompson, to join him and experience a few moments in front of the energetic crowd that was chanting “USA! USA!”
“I am so proud and so happy that the men’s and women’s USA hockey teams brought gold medals back to the United States of America,” Hughes said to the sold-out crowd. “You guys are making me emotional, but I am so proud to represent the New Jersey Devils organization, and I am so, so proud to represent the great state of New Jersey. So proud. From the bottom of my heart, all my USA teammates, we just want to thank you guys for all the love and support. We feel it. Thank you.”
After the game, the Devils held a media availability for Hughes, allowing the local media to speak to the superstar for the first time since he won gold at the Olympics.
It has been obviously the best three days of my life, probably,” Hughes said. “Had so much fun with this group of guys, and I am sure everyone on this team probably wishes it was still going. But nice to get back into a routine and get back with my teammates (in New Jersey).”
Hughes sat at a table covered in black cloth, decked in Devil’s apparel, fielding questions about his Olympic experience for around 11 minutes. At the conclusion of his media availability, two things became known for sure. The first is that, despite being the one to score the golden goal, the victory was and will always be about the team.
© Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images“It will never be about one person, and it is always about the team and that group of guys,” Hughes said. “And to share that moment with (Thompson), I hope that when he has his first game in Buffalo, they do something for him, and I hope he's playing one of his American teammates, and he can do the same thing. It is all about the USA Hockey brotherhood and a team, and that is what we are. We are just such a team.”
The second is how much Hughes loves playing hockey in New Jersey.
“Just to represent New Jersey, to represent our fans, I am so proud to be a Devil,” he said. “I am so proud to play for the Blitzer family, the Harris family, the Fitzgeralds. These people, they mean so much to me. So, to represent them through all this, New Jersey means so much to me.”
Hughes was selected by the Devils first overall in the 2019 NHL draft. Over his seven-season career, he has appeared in 405 games and has amassed 388 points.
“I really do love living in New Jersey, playing in New Jersey,” he continued. “I think early on, I don't know, for some reason, when I got drafted here, obviously, I am their first-overall pick, and I am an American kid, but I just feel like they accepted me so deeply, and I feel like I'm their guy. I am their guy. I come to these games, and I am driving in. Every time I drive in, all I think about is when I see people walking at 4:30 p.m. with Hughes jerseys on, unrolling my window and screaming at them, and they love that.”
© Ed Mulholland-Imagn ImagesFor some, Hughes and his USA teammates' history-making performance in Milan overshadowed the Devils' 2-1 loss to the Sabres. Throughout the night, chants of “USA! USA!” could be heard throughout the arena. In any direction, an American Flag could be seen held up by fans in the crowded stands.
Hughes has scored on countless wrist shots throughout his hockey career, but the impact of his goal on Feb. 22 will go down in the history books, and as his Devils’ teammate Jake Allen said, the 24-year-old’s life will never be the same.
“We were saying the other day how obviously he was a superstar player, an athlete, a really good person, and the face of this organization, but now it has gone tenfold,” Allen said. “Obviously, for him, changed his life. He is a funny kid, and he is a very confident kid, but I think, deep down, he really wanted to appreciate the fans. Obviously, he has got so much support since that goal happened on Sunday. I can't even imagine being in his shoes.”
“Representing your country is the best, and this is something that you dream of, but when it happens, you can't even describe what it feels like,” Hughes said.
“For me, it will never be about the Golden Goal,” he continued. “It will always be about our three weeks at the Olympics and that we are champions, and just what a special group it was. I have said it a million times, but I am just so proud to be American and so happy that we could get the job done.”
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