Has Jack Hughes reached superstar status in NHL?

The New Jersey Devils seem to be back in form. They have points in their last seven games and are 8-2-1 in their last 11. That puts them comfortably in a playoff spot and challenging for the No. 1 spot in the Metropolitan Division with the Carolina Hurricanes.

A lot of that has been due to the play of Jack Hughes, who currently has 10 goals in his last 10 games and 30 on the year, along with 58 points in just 46 games. With him coming off a 2021-22 campaign where he had 56 points in 49 games, Frank Seravalli and Mike McKenna discussed whether or not Hughes is a superstar in the NHL.

Mike McKenna: He better have; I’m just not sure if everybody realizes it yet. Part of that is playing in New Jersey, a market that flies under the radar. The team hasn’t been good for a long time, and they take a backseat to the Rangers and the Islanders. I’ve played there before; I know what it’s like.

But think about Hughes. He’s ninth in league scoring, sixth in goals; he’s already tucked 30 in and only six of it on the power play. What Hughes does 5-on-5 with the puck can really drive play for the Devils. He’s 12 points ahead of Jesper Bratt, who’s second on the team in scoring. That shows how good he is 5-on-5, the puck is on his blade. And he’s a finisher; he can bury.

But let’s look at it this way. Kirill Kaprizov, is he a superstar for the Minnesota Wild? Absolutely he is. Well, Hughes’ numbers are favorable to Kaprizov’s this year in some ways. I mean, Hughes shoots the puck well, he’s fast, he’s slippery, but there’s no big one-timers. He doesn’t really have unbelievable hands that show at all times. He just plays smart, smooth hockey that leads to goals.

I don’t think he’s optically as much of a superstar as some players, but the way that he controls and the points that he’s producing…

Frank Seravalli: Why isn’t he optically as much of a superstar as some players?

Mike McKenna: If you’re [Alex] Ovechkin or [Steven] Stamkos, you’re clapping one-timers; everyone goes, “Wow, this guy's a superstar; what he does is special.” Even Tage Thompson now, who’s kind of reached that spectrum, he stickhandles around everybody and goes and scores, whereas Hughes beats people with his speed more often, one quick move and it’s in the net.

So I think it’s a combo of how he puts his points up, and also being in Jersey that he just hasn’t gotten the accolades and reached that superstar level amongst the fan base.

Frank Seravalli: Well he should, because that’s, to your point, the way that he’s played. By the way, that contract is looking pretty darn good for the New Jersey Devils. A lot of people were wondering, “Why did you sign him to that deal that soon?” But I think you watch this season, and you see why, because he’s already exceeding that type of production warranting an $8 million salary.

But is there anything to do with his frame? And this isn’t a knock on him, but I feel like a lot of people watch Jack Hughes, and I’ve heard this comment from executives around the league, which is, “I love watching Jack Hughes play, but I always feel like he’s one hit away from being out for a long time”.

Mike McKenna: They probably said the same thing about [Wayne] Gretzky, didn’t they? I kind of had the same worry at times, but this year he’s been solid. He’s been able to be in the lineup like he needs to; he’s producing, simple as that.

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