For all the social media noise about a possible Hughes brothers reunion, the New Jersey Devils are making one thing clear: Jack Hughes is not a problem they are trying to solve. He is a player they are trying to enjoy.
That was the central message from Sunny Mehta in a recent conversation via Devils Rink Report, where the Devils general manager addressed the speculation around Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes. Mehta declined to comment on Quinn, noting that he plays for another team, but he was emphatic about his own star center.
Four years left, and no concern
Mehta said Jack Hughes has four years left on a great contract and that it is not something he is thinking about right now. He described Hughes as one of the best players in the league and added that, from his perspective, there is little to debate beyond being “super pumped” that the Devils have him on that deal.
That matters because contract chatter can easily turn into long-term anxiety, especially around a young star who is already central to a franchise’s identity. But Mehta’s view is the opposite of concern. In his telling, Jack Hughes is exactly where the Devils want him: productive, affordable relative to his value, and firmly part of the plan.
Why the Devils sound even more optimistic now
Mehta also said that what he said in his press conference is “more true now” three months later. He called Hughes an exciting player already, but said he is particularly eager to see him at 24, 25 years old, when players often begin to come into their own. That is a useful frame, because it shifts the focus away from speculation and toward performance curve.
It also helps explain why Mehta referenced changes made around Hughes this offseason. The point was not just about one star carrying everything himself. It was about how the whole team might benefit as the surrounding pieces settle and the chemistry continues to grow. In other words, the Devils are thinking less about whether Jack Hughes will be there and more about what he can do now that the team has adjusted around him.
The brother-reunion talk may keep circulating, but Mehta’s comments suggested the pressure sits elsewhere. He did not sound worried about losing Jack Hughes, and he was not entertaining the idea of a New Jersey problem that needs solving. The message was simpler than that: the Devils believe they already have their star, they like the contract, and they are ready to see what comes next.
