Devils’ Jack Hughes named to third consecutive NHL All-Star Game
The NHL announced the first 32 players who will participate in this year’s All-Star weekend on Thursday night, and for the third consecutive year, Jack Hughes has been selected to represent the Devils.
"It's definitely exciting and obviously an honor to represent the Devils there," Hughes said following Friday's practice. "It'll be great to go back, especially with my brother Quinn too, I'm really looking forward to it."
After a bit of a slow start to his NHL career, the former first overall pick has quickly solidified himself as the best player on a struggling New Jersey squad, and one of the top centers in all of hockey. He's been as consistent as it gets this season carrying over his breakout campaign from last season, and it looks like he’s only going to continue improving as his career progresses.
Hughes finished last season with 99 points (43 goals, 56 assists).
He has missed some time this season due to an upper-body injury, but he’s already recorded 15 goals and 30 assists (45 points) through 31 games for a stellar pace of 1.47 points/game. Hughes has put together nine games of three or more points and recorded his second career hat trick in a mid-December win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
If he can stay healthy, Hughes certainly looks poised to break the 100-point mark for the first time in his career.
Jack’s older brother, Quinn Hughes, was selected as the representative for the Vancouver Canucks, but his younger brother Luke didn't make the cut despite a strong showing in his first full season with the Devils.
All-Star weekend is set to take place Feb. 1-3 in Toronto.
