Jack Hughes is ‘100 percent’ – but that doesn’t guarantee him a big role with USA
Best-on-best dream teams are back at the Olympics for the first time in 12 years. With all the greatest on-ice talent in the world being assembled, it comes with amazing line combinations fans and pundits would’ve only dreamed of seeing after years of theorizing.
Sometimes there is too much of a good thing, mind you, and with Team USA, it could be the case with the abundance of talent they have down the middle. New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes – a surefire No. 1 center in the NHL – could be a victim of this, as the 2019 first overall pick has found himself skating on the wing of the fourth line heading into Thursday’s contest versus Team Latvia.
Hughes, 24, is coming off an injury this season after a cut to his hand several months back. Given Hughes’ placement in the lineup and being played out of position, there was a belief he could still be dealing with health issues heading into the Olympics.
Speaking with USA GM Bill Guerin, it was confirmed to Daily Faceoff that Hughes is “100%” entering the tournament.
So if not for health, what could be the reason for Hughes’ role being so minimal to start the tournament? After all, this is still a player who has scored at a point-per-game pace this season and has 335 points in 287 games going back to 2021 as one of the top pivots in the NHL.
For whatever the reason, Hughes’ game did not translate to a best-on-best format when he played for the Americans at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February in Montreal and Boston. Starting the tournament in the top six on the wing, Hughes registered just one assist in four games in the tournament, ultimately being one of the least impactful forwards for Team USA.
Given his underwhelming performance a year ago, could Team USA feel that a reduced role this time around benefit Hughes?
“We will see – he is super skilled,’’ Guerin said. “All we want is to put him in a position to succeed.’’
The Americans are absolutely loaded down the middle and may be deeper at the position than Canada in terms of players on the roster whose natural position is center. With Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Dylan Larkin and Brock Nelson being the four guys to start the tournament at center, it has left the U.S. with the likes of natural centers Hughes and Vincent Trocheck shifting to the wing, while hybrid forwards J.T. Miller and Tage Thompson are also capable of moving back to the middle if need be.
Hughes isn’t necessarily a redundant piece given his high-end talent, but I will say Larkin has seemingly bumped him out of a natural placement in the lineup. And on a somewhat unrelated note, I think the U.S.’s third line of Larkin flanked by Kyle Connor and Thompson could end up being one of the biggest factors for success.
After Hughes’ less than impressive play 12 months ago, names like Matthew Boldy and Jake Guentzel have (at least for the time being) taken Hughes’ spot in the top-six, especially on the wing. It isn’t easy for every player to get rapidly acclimated to a different position and/or role in such a short tournament, the former of which was a problem for Hughes last year – while both could be an issue this year.
Theoretically, Hughes could be deployed and utilized as a Swiss Army Knife of sorts, potentially getting reps higher in the lineup at even strength in offensive zone draws. But this is likely not to be the case, as Guerin told DFO he does not expect such deployment and thinks Hughes’ power play time will be a way to showcase his offense and get extra minutes.
The Americans are loaded with offensive talent but Hughes’ role on the fourth line is one that does come off as an eyesore on paper. Great players can adapt, but playing alongside Nelson and Miller doesn’t seem to be a recipe for success nor an ingredient to an identity line.
Hughes will have to play his way into a more significant role, and I wonder if he could potentially find a way to wrestle his way back alongside Auston Matthews – which is where Hughes started last season. He is arguably a better facilitator than both Boldy and Guentzel, an attribute that would directly benefit the Toronto Maple Leafs captain. And especially when it comes to Boldy, there could also be a better fit on the fourth line.
But before we get carried away with where Hughes can potentially end up, he will need to prove to head coach Mike Sullivan that he is ready for an elevated role. After Hughes’ play last winter and given the talent ahead of him, he will have to make the most of his opportunities – and in a reduced role to start.
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