New Jersey Devils centre Jack Hughes scored the overtime winning goal for the United States against Canada in the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.[1] The match took place on February 22, 2026, at Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy.[2]
The victory marked the first U.S. men's Olympic ice hockey gold medal since the 1980 Lake Placid Games.[3] NHL players participated in the tournament, the first time since the 2018 PyeongChang Games.[4]
Hughes, a 24-year-old American drafted first overall by the Devils in 2019, told ESPN the Hockey Hall of Fame's possession of the game puck was "bulls---."[5] "I'm trying to get it … Why would they have that puck?" he said.
Philip Pritchard, vice president of the resource centre and curator at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, responded to ESPN that the puck was donated by the International Ice Hockey Federation following standard procedures for international tournament memorabilia.[5] "Unfortunately, in the easiest words, it was never Jack's puck to own," Pritchard said.
In Olympic and other IIHF events, officials collect pucks and gear from milestone moments for donation, unlike in NHL games where players often keep such items. The Hall of Fame stated that artifacts are preserved and shared globally through its museum. Staff from the Hall were present in Milan to facilitate donations, including the puck from U.S. women's player Megan Keller's golden goal three days earlier.
Hughes said he wants the puck primarily for his father, a keen collector of his sons' memorabilia. He plans to formally contact the Hall of Fame, which has returned items to players in the past.
Sources
- NHL.com
New Jersey Devils - Jack Hughes
Accessed October 2024
https://www.nhl.com/devils/player/jack-hughes-8480020 - Olympics.com
Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena
Accessed October 2024
https://olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/venues/santa-giulia-ice-hockey-arena/ - Wikipedia
Ice hockey at the Olympic Games
Accessed October 2024
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_hockey_at_the_Olympic_Games - NHL.com
NHL players to participate in 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics
June 26, 2024
https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-players-to-participate-in-2026-milano-cortina-olympics-357419952 - Hockey Hall of Fame
Official website homepage
Accessed October 2024
https://www.hhof.com/