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Believe it or not, Jack Hughes has actually slept since Sunday.
Well, he technically called it a nap.
When his head did hit the pillow Wednesday prior to his return to the NHL, Hughes said he was thinking about the pregame festivities being bestowed upon him after becoming the face of Team USA’s gold-medal-winning pursuit in Milan.
But for Hughes, it was more about his team accomplished in Milan more than what he’ll be remembered for ... netting the game-winning goal in an epic overtime thriller over Canada.
That’s why when the New Jersey Devils approached him about the pregame festivities, he knew he wanted to include his U.S. teammate Tage Thompson.
“It will never be about one person,” Hughes said. “It will always be about the team and that group of guys. To share that moment with Tage, I hope when he has his first game in Buffalo, I hope they do something for him and he’s playing one of his American teammates, and he can do the same thing for them. Like I said, it’s all about the USA hockey brotherhood and a team. That’s what we are. We’re such a team.”
At the start of the ceremony, Hughes skated over to the Sabres bench, where he summoned Thompson onto the ice and the two Olympic stars skated arm in arm around the ice to a thunderous ovation.
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Thompson said he was honored by Hughes’s gesture.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” Thompson said. “It was very special. He’s a class act. He cares about his teammates, his country and his team. Obviously, he scores the overtime winner, and that’s supposed to be a moment just for him. For him to include me in that, was really special and I definitely appreciated that.”
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Hughes, then, took the microphone and addressed the New Jersey crowd for the first time since his era-defining golden goal and whirlwind three days.
“I’m so proud, and I’m so happy that the men’s and women’s hockey teams brought gold medals back to the United States of America,” Hughes said.
Hughes pumped his fist to applause then took a deep breath.
“You guys are making me emotional, but I’m so proud to represent the New Jersey Devils organization and so proud to represent the great state of New Jersey,” Hughes said. “From the bottom of my heart, all of my teammates want to thank you for all the love and support. We feel it.”
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