Jack Hughes- C
Jack Hughes has been deemed a generational talent; a can’t miss prospect similar to the way Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, and Auston Matthews were all billed entering the draft. Jack, the younger brother to Quinn Hughes the top-ten pick who landed with the Vancouver Canucks last season.
More from Octopus Thrower
- Detroit Red Wings forward Carter Mazur injured in Prospect Tournament
- Detroit Red Wings: What does Klim Kostin’s role look like in 2023-24?
- Detroit Red Wings: 3 players who will make biggest impact in first year
- The Detroit Red Wings need Andrew Copp to start fast in 2023-24
- Detroit Red Wings had a busy off-season; but was it enough?
The Filip Zadina pick was my preference but watching Quinn Hughes excel with the Michigan Wolverines and the splash he provided the Canucks at the end of the season makes me wonder what it could have been like landing both Hughes. Another reason why Bowen Byram would be a good get after passing on Q. Hughes last year.
Jack Hughes at 5’10 is a bit undersized, and that is some cause for concern, but his speed and skill make up for his lack of size. He flies around the ice and is able to stickhandle while bobbing and weaving through heavy traffic at full speed.
Hughes will do most of his damage in the open ice; he’s a center that won’t win many battles down low working on the boards. He is the most gifted skater in this draft class with tremendous playmaking abilities.
Hughes enjoys a similar passing ability to Mitch Marner and has an accurate shot to go along with his vision. I believe he will project to be more of a set-up man in the NHL rather than a sniper, but he looks like he has the potential to score 30 goals while doubling that number in assists on a fairly regular basis once he becomes a regular in the league. It would be difficult to expect that type of production in his rookie season, but he’s shown that type of skillset this season.
In 65 games playing at the USNTDP, he’s enjoyed 35 goals and 99 assists totaling 134 points. He would look tremendous down the middle of the Detroit Red Wings lineup with Dylan Larkin and Andreas Athanasiou. Landing Jack Hughes would change the franchise in an instant and remember Joe Veleno is working his way to the NHL too, the four young centers’ would make up the foundation to potentially a championship team down the road.