Jack Hughes didn’t need much help making headlines to open the season. He scored the overtime winner in the New Jersey Devils’ 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on ESPN Thursday night, and his younger brother Luke Hughes also found the net for New Jersey.
But the moment that really got people talking came between periods, when Hughes stopped for an in-game interview with ESPN’s A.J. Mleczko.
Mleczko tried to turn last season’s bizarre finger injury into a light joke, referencing the cut Hughes suffered at a team dinner that required surgery and cost him 18 games. She said, “Well, it’s great to see you healthy,” followed by, “Let’s wrap you in bubble wrap and use plastic cutlery this year. Does that sound good?”
Hughes clearly wasn’t in the mood for that kind of humor in the middle of a game. He shot back, “I mean, I think that’s a weird joke midgame,” and skated off.
If the exchange was meant to rattle him, it didn’t work. Hughes came back and finished the night with the biggest play of the game.
It’s been a packed stretch for Hughes, too. The source notes that he scored the game-winning goal in the Olympic gold medal game and then gave an interview with a bloody mouth.
It also says he later went to the White House, had a disagreement with the Hall of Fame, appeared on “Saturday Night Live,” and dated and then broke up with Tate McRae. Against that backdrop, a freak dinner-table accident might be the last thing he wants brought up on live TV.
In Other News...
Hurricanes Fans Face A New Way To Watch The Title Defense
Carolina fans preparing for the 2026-27 title defense are going to have a different path to the regular-season schedule. The Hurricanes are moving most of their local broadcasts to the team-owned Hurricanes Hockey Network, a setup that will cover plenty of the games and keep the focus squarely on homegrown viewing options as the club tries to make its championship follow-up as easy to follow as possible.
For viewers, the wrinkle is where those telecasts will live. The games will be available regionally through Fubo, which is adding a My Local Sports option to its Fubo Sports plan, giving subscribers another streaming route alongside the services broader menu of live TV, NHL Center Ice and other sports offerings. It is the kind of shift that could make life simpler for some fans and a little more complicated for others, depending on how they already watch hockey. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Just Clarified One Roster Question And A Fan Frustration
Cayden Primeaus path with the Carolina Hurricanes took another turn this week, with the goalie being sent to the clubs AHL affiliate in Chicago after clearing waivers. It gives the organization a clearer picture in net for the moment, and it also answers one of the roster questions hanging over the team as it moves through the early portion of the season.
The other bit of news should matter just as much to fans who have been looking for easier ways to watch. Carolina announced an expanded broadcast agreement with Cox Media Group and Gray Media that will put a 10-game Saturday Night Hockey package on free over-the-air channels across multiple markets in the Carolinas, while the team continues to offer games through its Hockey Network and streaming services. The full reach of that setup should make the access picture better for a lot of viewers, even if there are still some details that will determine exactly how many fans can tune in locally. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Just Gave More Carolina Fans A New Way To Watch
Hurricanes fans across the Carolinas are getting another option for following the team this season, with a new broadcast setup designed to put more games on free over-the-air television. The arrangement with Cox Media Group and Gray Media broadens access beyond the usual cable and streaming paths, giving viewers in multiple markets a more traditional way to catch the action as the season gets rolling.
The first wave of broadcasts is set to start Oct. 2, with the schedule then moving into the Saturday Night Hockey package from December through April. Specific stations and markets have already been lined up for the early games, and for plenty of fans who have been waiting for easier access, the bigger question now is how much of a difference this reach will make once the schedule settles in. [Read more 🡒]