New Jersey Devils drafted Jack Hughes’ brother in the first round, and he was ecstatic.
When the New Jersey Devils’ brass was set to make their first-round selection on Friday night, the obvious was staring them right in the face.
Luke Hughes, the brother of their franchise-cornerstone, Jack, was there for the taking.
And that’s exactly what they did with the fourth-overall pick — two of three Hughes brothers are now set to reunite in New Jersey.
The family’s reaction speaks for itself.
Hughes family makes history
The Hughes family made history on Friday night. Never in the history of the NHL Draft have three family members been selected in the top-ten.
And with the Devils picking Luke with their fourth-overall selection, history was made.
Quinn Hughes, the oldest of the three, was selected seventh-overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 2018, while Jack was taken with the prized number-one pick one year later.
In the era of virtual broadcasts, draftees across all sports have gotten the opportunity to spend their “big night” at home, with the support of several family members and friends. The reaction seen from the Hughes’, particularly from Luke’s new teammate Jack, may be looked at as a moment in time — especially in the scope of NHL draft history.
Luke, the newest member of the Devils, is committed to play at the University of Michigan in 2021-2022. The defenseman scored 15 points in 18 games as a member of the US National Development Team last season.
University of Michigan well represented on draft night
Michigan’s hockey program was the theme of the 2021 NHL Draft. Owen Power, Matthew Beniers and Kent Johnson were all taken in the top-five, while representing the Wolverines. With the commitment of the youngest Hughes brother, the school was once again referenced in the early goings of the night.
The 17-year old was ranked as the No. 4 skater amongst North American players, according to the NHL Central Scouting rankings.