HENDERSON, NV — Jack Hughes expressed confidence that younger brother Luke will remain his New Jersey Devils teammate, despite growing concern from fans over the stud defenceman’s lack of employment.
“Eventually it’ll get done,” Jack told Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas Tuesday during a recording of the 32 Thoughts podcast in Henderson, Nevada.
Yet training camp is just days away and there is still a negotiating gap to be closed with the restricted free agent. Any worries the stalemate fails to result in a contract?
“I don’t think so. He enjoys playing in New Jersey.”
Jack was reminded of older brother Matthew Tkachuk’s outspoken involvement in younger brother Brady’s pivotal RFA negotiation back in September 2021. (“It’s a family business. Nobody wants to deal with the Tkachuks in this,” Matthew said at the time. “But we do it by committee.”) Though the Tkachuk brothers remain divisional rivals, Jack and Luke have even more reason to feel invested in each other’s future.
“I’m giving really political answers, because that’s what you’re supposed to do,” Jack admitted, with a grin. “Even more so than Matthew, like, I’m on Luke’s team. So, I want to see it get done. But, yeah, obviously, there’s a lot of pieces in play. I know he wants to stay in New Jersey.”
32 Thoughts: The Podcast
Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.
Jack’s assertion aligns with that of Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald, who is still toiling away on the top item of his off-season to-do list.
“I don’t sense anything other than Luke wants to be a Devil for a long time,” Fitzgerald said.
Fitzgerald has a projected $6.1 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia.com.
Luke prefers to sign a five-year contract, reported NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky, that would take him to directly to unrestricted free agency — and, presumably, a second big payday — at age 26.
Such a term would mean Jack and Luke hitting the open market together in the summer of 2030.
The Devils, understandably, would rather bridge at three years or lock Hughes up for eight.
Would Jack and Luke prefer to align their expiry dates?
“Yeah, for sure,” Jack said. “I think that report — I saw it too — it’s probably just a shot in the dark, though. Where is he getting this information from?
“Of course, just from the outside, like, anyone at any bar talking hockey can be like: ‘I’m sure the Hughes brothers want their contracts to match up.’ For sure. But then there’s so many things that come into play: money, the term, and the money’s always changing,” Jack said.
“I don’t think (a five-year deal for Luke) is a make-or-break thing. Luke is his own guy. I want Luke to set himself up for the rest of his life.”
A juicy eight-year extension? Great. A three-year pact? So be it.
Hey, as far as Jack is concerned, three more years could be perfect for oldest bother Quinn. The captain of the Vancouver Canucks is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2027 and will be eligible to re-sign in Vancouver on July 1.
Until he does, speculation that all three Hughes brothers could one day suit up for the same NHL team will linger.
“Honestly, I’m not afraid to say it. Yeah, I would love for Quinn to — eventually I’d love to play with him. And whether that’s in New Jersey or at what time that takes, at some point I want to play with Quinn,” Jack told reporters Monday in Las Vegas.
“But, yeah, that’s the question going around. They talk all day about it up in Vancouver, you know? But, yeah, I’d love to play with Quinn at some point.”
“I think everyone was a bit surprised,” Jack said in his 32 Thoughts interview, flashing a smile. As the only Hughes brother not dealing with contract uncertainty, Jack seems relieved to be on the sidelines.
“I mean, I’m the guy on the eight-year deal, you know?” he said.
Though Jack describes Rutherford as “a straight shooter,” he maintains that Quinn is consumed with driving the Canucks back to the playoffs.
“At the end of the day, he’s either gonna stay or he’s gonna go,” Jack said. “He still likes it there.
“Quinn’s not the one making any noise. Quinn has one focus — and that’s go to Vancouver, play elite hockey and get in the playoffs.”