NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
New Jersey Devils star and Olympic gold medalist Jack Hughes clarified his comments regarding the status of the gold medal-winning puck after his initial comments sparked a frenzy involving the Toronto-based Hockey Hall of Fame.
In an exclusive interview with ESPN, Hughes expressed his disappointment when he learned that the Olympic discus was now on display at the Canada-based museum.
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)
“I’m trying to get it. It’s silly… for the Hockey Hall of Fame to have it, in my opinion. Why would they have that puck?” he said the exit.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
“I wouldn’t even want it for myself,” he explained. “I would want it for my dad. I know he would love it, he would love to have it. When I look back on my career, I don’t collect too many things for myself, but my dad is a monster collector for the three of us. I know he would have a special place for it.”
The irony of the puck residing in Canada was not lost on fans, as Team USA defeated Team Canada for the top spot on the podium.
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)
HOCKEY HALL OF FAME GIVES JACK HUGHES DIFFICULT NEWS ABOUT OLYMPIC GOLDEN GOAL DISC REQUEST
Following Hughes’ honest reaction to learning that the puck had been donated by the International Ice Hockey Federation, Philip Pritchard, vice president of the resource center and curator of the Hockey Hall of Fame, told ESPN that the puck was “never owned by Jack.”
Days after the back-and-forth, Hughes clarified his comments, telling reporters that the Hall of Fame is “the most special place in hockey.”
“It’s obviously an honor that the pucks are there. It’s like the most special place in hockey, so I’m honored that it’s there,” he admitted. “Obviously I think things were taken, you know, crazy.
Jack Hughes during the men’s ice hockey game between the United States and Slovakia on day fourteen of the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Stadium on February 20, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Stefano Guidi/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pak Gazette APP
“That’s how I felt and I didn’t know where the puck was. So it is what it is.”
The United States swept gold in men’s, women’s and Paralympic sled hockey, beating Canada in each final to win all three for the first time in the same year. Megan Keller scored the women’s golden goal, also in overtime, and that puck was also donated to the Hall of Fame.
