In the Hughes family, hockey isn’t just a passion — it’s a legacy.
Jack and Quinn Hughes are the sons of longtime hockey coaches Jim and Ellen Hughes. Ellen made history as part of the coaching staff that helped Team USA Women’s Hockey capture Olympic gold.
The couple also share a third son, Luke Hughes, who skates alongside Jack for the New Jersey Devils. While Luke has already made his mark in the NHL, he did not secure a roster spot for the 2026 Winter Olympics like his older brothers.
The couple (pictured above with their three sons in 2024) are also parents to son Luke, who plays in the NHL but has not yet earned a spot on the Olympic roster.
Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes made their Olympic debut at the 2026 Winter Olympics, competing together on Team USA’s men’s hockey team.
The brothers have helped power the U.S. through the tournament, leading one of the top-performing squads this season with victories over Latvia, Denmark, Germany and Sweden — including a key quarterfinal win.
Quinn Hughes
The eldest Hughes brother played college hockey at the University of Michigan from 2017 to 2019, where he quickly emerged as one of the NCAA’s premier defensemen.
He was selected seventh overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2018 NHL Draft, finishing his season at Michigan before making the jump to the NHL.
The standout defenseman was traded to the Minnesota Wild this past season.
Quinn was originally named to the Team USA roster last year but was forced to withdraw due to a lower-body (oblique) injury. This year, he returned to the international stage stronger than ever, playing a pivotal role in the Americans’ medal push.
Jack & Quinn Hughes Lead Team USA to Olympic Semifinals at 2026 Winter Games
Jack and Quinn, striking a pose at the 2026 Winter Olympics, are playing together on the U.S. men’s hockey team for the first time and have helped power the squad into the semifinals.
Quinn Hughes (seen above celebrating with Jack Hughes at the 2026 Winter Olympics) delivered a clutch performance in the quarterfinals, scoring the game-winning goal against Sweden to send Team USA into the semifinals.
His decisive strike secured the U.S. men’s team a chance to compete for a medal as they advanced deeper into the tournament.
After the whirlwind victory, Jack didn’t hold back his praise for his older brother.
“That’s unreal. That’s a massive goal, massive moment,” Jack gushed. “One of our best players taking over there and winning that game for us.”
Beyond his elite playmaking, Quinn has also become a viral sensation for his intense, blank stares on the ice — a look that has inspired hilarious memes suggesting he’s seeing Victorian-era ghosts mid-game.
He addressed the playful theory earlier this week in an interview with the Boston Globe.
“I’m usually pretty zoned in on what’s going on with myself and trying to get ready to do what I need to do. Sometimes you hear some funny stuff out there [on the ice],” he said.
“But yeah, as the people say, I’m usually seeing ghosts, so I’m usually focused on myself.”
Quinn Hughes currently plays defense for the Minnesota Wild, while his younger brother, Jack Hughes, plays forward for the New Jersey Devils. The brothers have faced off against each other in NHL matchups, showcasing their elite skills on opposite sides of the ice.
Jack Hughes: From NHL Draft to Olympic Teammate with Quinn
Jack Hughes, pictured above with Quinn Hughes at the 2026 Team USA Welcome Experience, skipped college hockey and went straight to the NHL.
The middle Hughes brother was selected first overall in the 2019 NHL Draft and currently plays forward for the New Jersey Devils. He occasionally shifts to the wing, such as during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.
Unlike Quinn and their younger brother Luke Hughes, who both played at the University of Michigan, Jack went directly to professional hockey.
Because Jack and Quinn play on different NHL teams and in different positions, it’s rare for them to share the ice — making their 2026 Olympic appearance together a particularly special moment for the brothers.
Jack Hughes Sparks Dating Rumors with Pop Star Tate McRae
Off the ice, Jack Hughes made headlines last December after fueling dating rumors with pop star Tate McRae. The pair were spotted in New York City bundled up for a cozy outing, following McRae’s attendance at Jack’s game at Newark’s Prudential Center.
Jack playfully addressed the speculation after Team USA’s 5-1 win over Latvia during the 2026 Winter Olympics.
“It’s funny, we go to the same spots a little bit,” he said. “We want the puck in the same spots. Even though I’m a forward, he’s a [defenseman].
I wanted to play with him all night. It’s so fun to be doing give-and-gos with him, playing off each other. So yeah, hopefully we can do that a lot.”
The photos of the pair in Paris in February 2026 added fuel to the rumors, giving fans a glimpse of Jack’s life beyond hockey.
Luke Hughes: The Youngest Hughes Brother Makes His Mark
Luke Hughes (pictured left with his brothers at the University of Michigan) was selected in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Like his older brothers, Luke has quickly established himself as a rising star in the NHL, continuing the Hughes family legacy of elite hockey talent.
Luke Hughes Supports His Brothers from the Sidelines
Luke Hughes, the youngest Hughes brother and a defenseman for the New Jersey Devils (seen above with mom Ellen Hughes in 2025), was not selected for Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics but continues to cheer on Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes.
Luke was a first-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, going fourth overall to the Devils, where he plays alongside Jack. Like Quinn, he is a defenseman, but he is currently on long-term injured reserve due to a shoulder injury.
Despite being sidelined, Luke has been actively supporting his older brothers through social media as they compete for a medal in Milan Cortina 2026.
Ellen Hughes: Olympian and Hockey Mom
Ellen Hughes (seen above with her son Jack Hughes in 2010) is a decorated athlete in her own right. She won a silver medal at the 1992 IIHF Women’s World Championships, highlighting her elite level of play before transitioning into coaching and raising three NHL-caliber sons.
Ellen Hughes: Athlete, Broadcaster, and Hockey Mom
Ellen Hughes is a decorated multi-sport athlete who excelled in soccer, lacrosse, and hockey while attending the University of New Hampshire. She won a silver medal at the 1992 IIHF Women’s World Championships but retired from competitive hockey before women’s ice hockey made its Olympic debut in 1998.
After her playing career, Ellen transitioned to broadcasting, covering women’s soccer and hockey. She left television in 2009 to focus on raising her three sons when her husband, Jim Hughes, took a job in player development.
Her connection to elite hockey came full circle in 2023 when she joined the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team as a player development consultant, marking her first Olympic involvement in a coaching role.
Ellen Hughes’ Olympic Gold & Jim Hughes’ Hockey Legacy
Ellen Hughes (seen here with her husband, children and friends in 2022) reached the Olympic stage in 2023 when she was named player development consultant for the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team. In that role, she helped guide the program to gold medals at the IIHF Women’s World Championships in both 2023 and 2025.
“Never in a million years did I think that I would be in Italy and have the opportunity to be a part of the women’s Olympic team,” she told The Athletic in February 2026. “And then to have two sons there, you just count your blessings … and hope for a lot of wins.”
Jim Hughes (pictured here with sons Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes in June 2025) was a standout hockey player at Providence College before launching his long and successful coaching career.
Where Is the Hughes Family From?
Jim Hughes (seen above with his family in 2021) played a pivotal role in launching his sons’ careers, introducing them to the NHL world from an early age.
“The things he was telling 20-year-old prospects, he was telling to us when we were 12,” Jack Hughes told ESPN in 2018.
“Whenever we got the chance to watch a game with my dad, it was like watching video with an NHL coach.”
Because of Jim’s coaching career, he and Ellen Hughes moved their family frequently.
Quinn Hughes and Jack were born in Orlando while Jim was working as a minor league assistant. Luke Hughes was later born in New Hampshire.
The family eventually relocated to Boston when Jim accepted a position as an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins, further embedding the Hughes brothers in the heart of the hockey world.
That’s where the three brothers — pictured above at Grand Casino Arena in 2026 — further fueled their determination to pursue hockey at the highest level.
The Hughes family spent their longest stretch in Toronto, where Jim Hughes served as director of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It was in Toronto that the brothers’ skills — and competitive fire — truly blossomed.
“They grew their passion for the game outdoors,” Jim told ESPN in 2018. “There was no structure. They just had fun, but everything was a competition.”
