Jack Hughes couldn’t have been happier after his younger brother was drafted by the New Jersey Devils.
The 2021 NHL Entry Draft took place remotely at the NHL Network studios on Friday evening. Quinn and Jack Hughes were sitting with their draft-eligible brother Luke while the NHL teams made their selections.
Luke was drafted by the Devils fourth overall, and the reaction by the Hughes brothers was awesome. Jack couldn’t contain his excitement when New Jersey made the pick. Jack jumped for joy with a huge smile on his face. He was clearly hoping the Devils would select his little brother.
Video:
Jack Hughes absolutely fired up after his brother Luke gets drafted by the Devils pic.twitter.com/RPRziltj0n
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) July 24, 2021
The Hughes brothers made history as the first trio of brothers to be drafted in the top 10 of the NHL Draft. Quinn previously went 7th overall to Vancouver in 2018 and Jack went 1st overall to New Jersey in 2019.
The Devils loved the pick too, tweeting out a ‘Step Brothers’ meme shortly after the selection.
"Let's go, baby…. brother!" pic.twitter.com/AswIoqs360
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) July 24, 2021
Luke Hughes is the youngest prospect in this year’s class, but has great size at 6-foot-2, 176 pounds. He fills an immediate need for a weak Devils’ defense that struggled to defend in front of goalie MacKenzie Blackwood. Luke’s brother, Jack, scored 11 goals in 56 games for New Jersey in 2020-21.
The NHL Network commentators joked that the pick saves the family airline miles, but it’s truly awesome to see two brothers on the same NHL team. With an elite goaltender in Blackwood and now the Hughes brothers united, the Devils are a team to watch moving forward.
The Devils had a strong start in 2020-21, but couldn’t sustain the momentum, finishing second-last in the East Division with 45 points in 56 games. Drafting a game-changer like Luke Hughes is a step in the right direction.
The NHL Draft serves as a reminder that family always comes first.