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NEWARK, New Jersey – Jack Hughes and the New Jersey Devils returned to NHL action Wednesday night against the Buffalo Sabres, the first game since the Olympic break began. It’s safe to say a lot has happened since Hughes pulled the New Jersey sweater over his head and skated onto the ice at the Prudential Center.
Hughes scored the gold medal goal in overtime to defeat Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympics. The 24-year-old is now arguably the biggest star in American hockey thanks to his exploits in Milan and fans in Newark have let him know it.
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Jack Hughes #86 of the New Jersey Devils skates during warmups before the NHL regular season game at the Prudential Center on February 25, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images)
Before puck drop against Buffalo, the Devils honored all of their 2026 Olympians, including those representing foreign nations. As expected, no one received a warmer welcome from the crowd than Hughes.
The pregame ceremony brought fans back to Sunday morning. As the replay of the gold medal goal played on the Jumbotron, fans cheered as if it were happening in real time. “USA” chant after “USA” chant echoed throughout the arena, which was littered with American flags.
Hughes first grabbed Team USA teammate Tage Thompson on the visiting Buffalo Sabers bench and let the fans recognize him before grabbing the microphone. He almost burst into tears while addressing the crowd.
Gold Medal Celebration Days
Jack Hughes #86 of the New Jersey Devils skates during warmups before the NHL regular season game at the Prudential Center on February 25, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images)
It’s been a whirlwind for Team USA since winning the gold medal on Sunday in Italy. The team returned to the United States and celebrated in Miami on Monday before most of the team headed to Washington, D.C., for President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday.
Despite criticism from left-wing media for meeting with the President of the United States after winning the country’s first gold medal in men’s hockey since 1980, Hughes remained steadfast in his patriotism.
“It’s all so political. We’re athletes. We’re so proud to represent the United States and when you get a chance to go to the White House and meet the president, we’re proud to be Americans and it’s so patriotic,” Hughes said.
Players like Hughes, whose NHL teams returned to action on Wednesday, had a very tight deadline to get back on the ice. While it might take some changes for the boys to get their legs back, it’s hard to imagine American hockey fans complaining.
Jack Hughes of the United States celebrates with his national flag after scoring his second goal in overtime to win gold on February 22, 2026. (Reuters/Alessandro Garofalo)
New Jersey fans are certainly happy to have their American hero back on the ice.
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