Report: Devils’ Jack Hughes expected to be available for U.S. Olympic team

Some good news for the red, white and blue.

According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes is expected to be available for the United States in the upcoming men’s hockey tournament at the Winter Olympics.

The update comes as Hughes is expected to miss his third game in a row. The 24-year-old has been out of action since suffering a lower-body injury last Thursday against the Nashville Predators. Even with Hughes missing the majority of the game, the Devils went on to win the game in overtime, 3-2.

With the ailment, there was growing concern that Hughes might not be fit to represent his country in Milan next month. According to Russo, the Orlando native will travel with the American squad to Italy and should be ready to play by the beginning or near the beginning of the tournament.

Hughes was part of the U.S. roster that competed in last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, posting an assist in four games. It was his first bit of international experience since 2018, when he donned his nation’s colors at the IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship, the IIHF World Junior Championship and IIHF Men’s World Championship, winning bronze and silver at the U-18s and World Juniors, respectively.

The injury is another addition to the laundry list of ailments for the former first-overall pick. Earlier this season, a non-hockey-related injury knocked the 24-year-old out for 18 games. That comes after a shoulder injury knocked him out for the last couple of months of the 2024-25 regular season, and all of the Devils’ run to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In just 36 games this season, Hughes has scored 12 goals and 24 assists for 36 points. Even though he has missed considerable time, he’s still third on the team in scoring.

The U.S. begins play next Thursday, when it opens Group C play against Latvia. The team is favored to medal in Italy, with some believing the Americans can win gold for the first time since 1980.