While there were some impressive moments, Jack Hughes' rookie season with the New Jersey Devils was somewhat of a disappointment.
Hughes, 19, had plenty of hype heading into the 2019-20 campaign as he was the first overall selection of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Unfortunately, both he and his team struggled, as the Devils finished 26th in league standings and Hughes had just seven goals and 14 assists in 61 games played.
One of the reasons he seemed to struggle was due to his size, as he was listed at just 170 pounds and was often easily pushed off the puck. That should no longer be a problem for the talented American forward, as he told Devils reporter Amanda Stein that he has put on 14 pounds of muscle since March. He also mentioned that he is ready to have a breakout year.
This would be a huge lift to a Devils team that has been near the bottom of the standings for a number of seasons now, and traded away their most dynamic forward in Taylor Hall midway through the 2019-20 season. He certainly has the talent to do so, as he was able to put up a total of 100 points in 50 games with the U.S. National Under-18 Team in the USHL during his draft eligible season.
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