What is Jack Hughes’ net worth and salary?

American hockey star Jack Hughes boasts an impressive net worth of $16 million, reflecting his successful career in the NHL.

Hughes was the top pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, selected by the New Jersey Devils. Known for his exceptional creativity and skating prowess, he entered the league as a promising playmaker. Initially, skeptics doubted whether his slight build could endure the NHL’s rigorous demands. However, Hughes quickly proved them wrong. By the 2022–23 season, he had evolved into a formidable center, averaging a point per game and setting a Devils franchise record with 99 points in a single season. His unique combination of speed, intelligence on the ice, and self-assuredness has made him the driving force behind the Devils’ resurgence. On the international stage, Hughes further solidified his reputation by scoring the overtime goal that secured Team USA’s gold medal at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. This victory marked the U.S. men’s first Olympic hockey gold since the iconic “Miracle on Ice” in 1980. Still in his mid-20s, Hughes is a pivotal figure in the present and future landscape of American hockey.

Early Life and Hockey Lineage

Born on May 14, 2001, in Orlando, Florida, Jack Hughes is part of what many consider the most accomplished modern hockey family in the United States.

His father, Jim Hughes, has a rich background in hockey as both a former player and a seasoned coach, having served as the Director of Player Development for the Toronto Maple Leafs. His mother, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, was a remarkable multi-sport athlete at the University of New Hampshire and won a silver medal with Team USA at the 1992 Women’s World Championships.

Jack is the middle sibling among three exceptional hockey-playing brothers. His elder brother, Quinn Hughes, rose to prominence as a Norris Trophy-winning defenseman and later played for the Minnesota Wild. Meanwhile, his younger brother, Luke Hughes, joined Jack as a teammate on the Devils’ defense.

Hughes, who is Jewish, celebrated his Bar Mitzvah during his youth and continues to observe Passover traditions with his family. Over time, he has emerged as one of the most renowned Jewish athletes in professional sports.

The Path to the Pros

Rather than follow his brothers to college hockey, Hughes took an accelerated path through the U.S. National Team Development Program.

At the USNTDP, he broke longstanding records, finishing as the program’s all-time leader in assists with 154 and total points with 228, surpassing stars such as Auston Matthews and Patrick Kane.

In the 2019 NHL Draft, the New Jersey Devils selected Hughes first overall. He became the first player to go directly from the USNTDP to the NHL without playing in college or the CHL, immediately stepping into the spotlight as a franchise cornerstone.

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NHL Career Milestones

Hughes’ rookie season was a physical wake-up call. Lean and youthful, he struggled against stronger opponents and posted modest offensive totals. Questions emerged about whether he had been rushed.

Over the next several seasons, he added strength and confidence while maintaining his elite skating and creativity. His breakout arrived in 2022–23 when he recorded 43 goals and 56 assists for 99 points, setting a single-season franchise record for the Devils. That performance cemented his status as a franchise centerpiece and earned him the first of three consecutive NHL All-Star selections from 2022 through 2024.

Despite early-career MCL sprains and upper-body injuries, Hughes matured into a durable, high-impact player. His game is defined less by brute force and more by anticipation, vision, and precision. He manipulates defenders with edge work and puck control, thriving in tight spaces and high-pressure moments.

Olympic Gold and the “Golden Goal”

On February 22, 2026, Hughes delivered one of the most dramatic moments in modern American hockey history at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

In a fiercely contested gold medal matchup between the United States and Canada, Hughes took a high stick to the mouth from Sam Bennett during the third period, spitting blood onto the ice. The Americans failed to convert on the ensuing four-minute power play, and the game remained deadlocked at 1–1 heading into overtime.

Three-on-three sudden death decided the championship. After a missed Canadian rush led by Connor McDavid, Hughes made a crucial hustle play to transition the puck up ice. Defenseman Zach Werenski gained possession in the offensive zone and slid a pass across the slot. Hughes streaked in and finished cleanly, beating the goaltender to secure the United States’ first Olympic men’s hockey gold medal since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice.”

The image of Hughes celebrating with a gap-toothed grin as teammates, including his brother Quinn, rushed the ice became an instant classic. In a tournament that marked the return of NHL players to Olympic competition for the first time since 2014, Hughes stood tallest among the sport’s elite. The once undersized rookie who struggled to handle NHL physicality had just shed blood and teeth for his country and delivered a defining moment on the international stage.

Contracts, Salaries, and Earnings

Hughes’ financial trajectory reflects a modern NHL philosophy of locking up elite young talent early. As of the 2025–26 season, Hughes has earned approximately $37.275 million in NHL salary and signing bonuses. By the time the contract expires in 2030, his career on-ice earnings will exceed $66 million.

His entry-level contract from 2019 to 2022 was worth $11.325 million, including performance bonuses, with a $925,000 base cap hit.

In November 2021, before he posted his 99-point season, Hughes signed an eight-year, $64 million extension with an $8 million average annual value. At the time, it was viewed as a calculated gamble by the Devils. Today, it is widely regarded as one of the best-value deals in the league.

The contract is front-loaded:

• 2022–23: $9 million
• 2023–24: $8.5 million
• 2024–25: $8.5 million
• 2025–26: $8.5 million
• 2026–27: $8 million, when a no-trade clause begins
• 2027–28: $7.5 million
• 2028–30: $7 million annually

Compared to fellow 100-point players such as Nathan MacKinnon and Auston Matthews, who command more than $12 million annually, Hughes’ $8 million cap hit gives the Devils significant flexibility while receiving elite production.

Off the ice, Hughes has become a marketing focal point. He served as the cover athlete for “NHL 25” by EA Sports and has appeared in national campaigns for Chipotle. Additional partnerships include Molecule Sleep and Great Clips, reinforcing his growing status as one of the NHL’s most marketable young stars.