On Wednesday morning, something very rare will happen in the NHL. This is only the ninth time in the series’ long history that three brothers appear in the same match. In Wednesday’s game Quinn Hughes representing Vancouver, Jack and Luke Hughes New Jersey.
And now we are not talking about just any American brothers, but about a trio, each of whom was reserved for the NHL in the first round. 24-year-old Quinn’s reservation number (7th) is the highest in the family. Jack, 22, was booked first and Luke, 20, fourth.
That’s not all, though – just a reservation number doesn’t do much in the NHL, it’s been noticed in Finland as well.
Jack’s points per game average is currently the highest in the entire NHL, Quinn, who was named Vancouver’s captain in the summer, leads the defensemen’s point exchange and Luke the rookie defensemen’s exchange.
How is all this possible?
Little to do with chance
Coincidence ultimately has little to do with the trio’s breakthrough. As so often, parents have played a significant role in raising boys in terms of sports in this case as well. If we talk about the trio’s specialty, i.e. skating, there is a mother in the background Ellen Weinberg-Hughesa former top hockey player himself.
Mother Hughes (then still Weinberg) played soccer, hockey and lacrosse in college. After graduating from university, he played for the US national ice hockey team at the World Championships in Tampere in 1992. Weinberg, who played as a defender, was selected for the Tampere tournament star and later for his university’s gallery of honor.
Together with their mother, the boys laid the foundations for skating, with which they are now dazzling at the NHL level.
– He was an excellent skater and a great player, Quinn Hughes told the American channel ESPN a few years ago.
Father of boys Jim also played in university as a defender and later made a career in the AHL as an assistant coach in different clubs. Between 2010 and 2015, the head of the family operated as the boss of the player development side of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The boys could follow, for example William Nylander close by when he lives with his family for the longest time after his NHL booking (2014). Watching games with dad was a kind of hockey college.
– He taught us at the age of 12 the same things that he taught the 20-year-old Leafs youth at work. When we watched games with dad, it was like watching them with an NHL coach, Jack recalled to ESPN.
Quality and quantity
When one family produces three star-category players in the NHL, it goes without saying that enormous amounts of hours have been put in in the yards and in the basement over the years. The Hughes family used to be on the outdoor ice before anyone else, drawing the first drawings on the clean ice.
However, just participating has never been enough for the brothers, and still isn’t enough.
of Columbus Zach Werenski sees the brothers in summer training in Michigan, on the outskirts of Detroit.
– Jack is certainly the most competitive. Jack and Luke are having a hard time together and sometimes I just sit back and smile and watch it. They push and annoy each other. One pass a little behind and it starts to annoy Jack because he’s so competitive and wants to do things perfectly, Werenski told NHL.com.
AHL team playing in Ontario Alex Turcotte also belongs to a high-level summer training group.
– I’m not surprised by anything about the Hughes brothers anymore, because I know them well. They are funny. It must have been the first calm ice practices after the playoffs in June, when Luke made a couple of bad passes to Jack and let’s just say that Jack let Luke know about it. I don’t feel like saying more, says Turcotte.
In a hard training group, emotions are often on the surface.
– There is Dylan LarkinWerensky, Matt Beniers, Tyler Motte, me and so on. Things get tough sometimes when it’s one against one, two against two and so on. There have been no fights, but definitely fights, the boys (Hughes) yelling at their father and stuff like that. Those ices are hot, Detroit Andrew Copp says.
Hockey is the Hughes boys’ passion. Mother Hughes recently recalled how while the other little boys were running down the aisles at Boston games, Jack and Quinn were as if nailed to their seats. I was very interested in the game even as a child.
– I guess he learned something from that, mother said.
A historic evening
So on Wednesday morning, an exceptional ice hockey match is on offer. Especially adorable with their skating, the brothers bring a huge amount of movement, skill, understanding of the game and problem-solving ability to the rink. The Hugheses are three perfect examples of what kind of player model the modern NHL is asking for.
Within the family, the evening is special, but only in a positive way.
– No one is supposed to teach anyone anything. We’re pretty laid back guys. We play the game and spend time together before and after, but there’s no betting here, Quinn Hughes points out.
– It’s so cool that Quinn is now the captain in Vancouver. It’s a great honor for him and it’s a sweet thing for all of us. We will always remember this. To be honest, I’m still looking forward to hanging out with Quinn the most. I haven’t seen him in ages so that’s nice. Hopefully at the end of the day we’ll win the game, Luke coos.
Sources: ESPN, NHL.com