The puck New Jersey Devils and Team USA center Jack Hughes buried in the net to give the United States a 2-1 overtime win over Canada and the Olympic gold medal in men’s ice hockey now resides at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
Hughes wants it. The curator of the Hall says it was never his to begin with and the puck is staying right where it is.
The kerfuffle started with an interview the 24-year-old Hughes gave to ESPN on Tuesday in which he said of the puck: “I’m trying to get it. Like, that’s bulls— that the Hockey Hall of Fame has it, in my opinion. Why would they have that puck?”
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Hughes’ shot last month gave the Americans their first men’s hockey gold since the Miracle on Ice in 1980. The golden goal puck was unveiled this week at the Hall, alongside a similar one from Megan Keller, who scored in overtime to beat Canada in the women’s gold medal game.
“I don’t see why Megan Keller or I shouldn’t have those pucks,” Hughes said.
Philip Pritchard, the Hall of Fame’s curator, was blunt when addressing the issue.
“Unfortunately, in the easiest words, it was never Jack’s puck to own,” Pritchard told ESPN on Wednesday. “It’s been donated to us now. For every artifact that’s been donated, we have a paper trail and signed paperwork of where it’s come from.”
In an interview on TNT on Feb. 26, when asked by former NHL player and coach Tony Granato, Hughes admitted he wasn’t aware of the location of the golden goal puck. He also wasn’t aware he wouldn’t be receiving it.
“I honestly don’t know where that puck went. I know who doesn’t have it, is me. I sure as hell don’t have it,” Hughes said in the interview.
Amid initial concern about the whereabouts of the puck, a spokesperson for the International Ice Hockey Federation told Sportico in late February that it had been immediately collected and “designated for archival preservation with the HHOF to ensure its long-term safekeeping and historical recognition.”
Weeks later, the puck is part of a larger display about the 2026 Olympic Games and is featured alongside other memorabilia.
“These donated items represent defining moments on the world’s biggest stage and carry powerful stories of national pride and hockey history at its highest level,” said Jamie Dinsmore, president and CEO of the Hockey Hall of Fame, in a statement on Monday. “The Olympics ’26 display will help ensure that these unforgettable Olympic moments are preserved for our guests from around the world to experience.”
The Hall of Fame said in a statement on Wednesday that it commemorates key moments in global hockey history by securing “historic artifacts” through its relationship with the IIHF, including Sidney Crosby’s “golden goal” puck from the 2010 Olympics.
When asked on Wednesday about his reaction to Hughes’ comments about wanting the puck back, Crosby gave the equivalent of a verbal shrug.
“I didn’t even think about it that way, to be honest with you,” Crosby told The Athletic on Wednesday. “I was just happy that I scored the goal. I was happy that the puck was going to the Hall of Fame. I didn’t even think about it that way.”
Hughes said he hasn’t gotten around to asking the Hall of Fame for the puck yet, but he wants it returned so he can gift it to his father, Jim, a former assistant coach for the Boston Bruins and director of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Hughes said his father collects memorabilia from his three sons’ careers. Jack’s brothers, Luke (New Jersey Devils) and Quinn (Minnesota Wild), are both NHLers, and Quinn, a defenseman, was also on the historic U.S. 2026 Olympic team.
“When I look back in time in my career, I don’t collect too many things for myself, but my dad’s a monster collector for the three of us. I know he would have a special place for it,” Hughes said.
— Josh Yohe and Larry Holder contributed to this report.