Jack Hughes and the New Jersey Devils returned to NHL action Wednesday night against the Buffalo Sabres, the first game since the start of the Olympic break.
Safe to say that a lot has happened since Hughes last pulled the New Jersey sweater over his head and skated on Prudential Center ice.
Hughes scored the gold medal-winning goal in overtime to defeat Canada during the 2026 Winter Olympics. The 24-year-old is now arguably the biggest American hockey star due to his heroics in Milan, and fans in Newark let him know.
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Prior to the puck drop against Buffalo, the Devils honored all of their Olympians from 2026, including those who represented foreign nations. As expected, no one received a warmer reception from the crowd than Hughes.
The pregame ceremony brought fans right back to Sunday morning. As the gold medal-winning goal replayed on the Jumbotron, fans cheered like it was happening in real time. “U-S-A” chant after “U-S-A” chant echoed throughout the arena, which was littered with American flags.
Hughes first grabbed fellow Team USA teammate Tage Thompson from the visiting Buffalo Sabres bench and let fans acknowledge him before grabbing the mic. He nearly broke down in tears while addressing the crowd.
“I’m so proud and I’m so happy that the men’s and women’s USA hockey teams brought gold medals back to the United States of America,” Hughes said into the microphone to the crowd. “You guys are making me emotional, but I’m so proud to represent the New Jersey Devils organization. And I’m so, so proud to represent the great state of New Jersey – so proud.
“From the bottom of my heart, all of my teammates, USA teammates, we just want to thank you guys for all the love and support. We feel it.”
It’s been a whirlwind for Team USA since capturing the gold medal on Sunday in Italy. The team traveled back to the United States and partied in Miami Monday before most of the team headed up to Washington, D.C., for President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday.
Despite criticism from the left-wing media about the team meeting with the president of the United States after delivering the country’s first gold medal in men’s hockey since 1980, Hughes has stood strong in his patriotism.
“Everything is so political. We’re athletes. We’re so proud to represent the U.S., and when you get the chance to go to the White House and meet the president, we’re proud to be Americans and that’s so patriotic,” Hughes said.
Players like Hughes, whose NHL teams returned to action Wednesday, had a tight turnaround to get back on the ice. While it may take a few shifts for the boys to get their legs back, it’s hard to imagine any American hockey fans complaining.
Fans in New Jersey are certainly glad to have their American hero back on the ice.
