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...
Canadiens Showed Real Fight But One New Concern Could Linger
The Canadiens got the kind of response they needed against Pittsburgh, pushing back after a rough stretch and forcing the game past regulation before falling in overtime. Montreals top line was again at the center of it, with Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Chris Kreider driving the offense and giving the club a much-needed spark when it found itself chasing the game.
The bigger concern may be on the blue line, where Alexandre Carrier exited early and never returned, leaving his status up in the air afterward. For a team that just showed it can claw its way back into a game, losing another defenseman would be a tough complication to absorb, especially with the Canadiens trying to build on a performance that offered plenty of encouragement even in defeat. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Fans Have Every Reason To Be Furious About That OT Loss
The Canadiens had every reason to feel they left points on the table after an overtime loss to Pittsburgh that already had plenty of tension before the final sequence. Montreal got the start it wanted with Cole Caufield opening the scoring, then watched Chris Kreider and Ivan Demidov help push the game to extra time in a matchup that felt tight all night.
In overtime, though, the conversation shifted to a disputed sequence that left the Canadiens and their fans seething. Ivan Demidov appeared to be impeded on the play leading into the Penguins winner, and Thomas Novaks goal counted anyway, turning a hard-fought game into a frustrating finish that is sure to linger for Montreal well beyond the final horn. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Deadline Pursuit Was Bigger Than Fans Realized
The Canadiens were closer to making a major move at the last trade deadline than many around the team realized. Jeff Gorton said Montreal was in serious discussions with two different teams, a sign that Kent Hughes and the front office were pushing hard to add in a market where the cost kept climbing and the competition for impact players stayed fierce. Footage from the period also showed Hughes putting a hefty package on the table, underscoring how aggressively the Canadiens were trying to explore their options.
Even without a deal getting across the line, the episode adds more context to how Montreal has been operating under Hughes and Gorton, especially with the organization still balancing present-day upgrades against the bigger-picture plan. The deadline chatter also sits alongside the broader swirl of rumors around Matthew Knies and the shifting landscape in Toronto, where management changes can alter the way trade talks unfold. For the Canadiens, the takeaway is clear: they were in the hunt, and the price tag was substantial. [Read more 🡒]