Can Jack Hughes become the second best player behind Connor McDavid?

[Hischier and Hughes]

Look it up again. You’re wrong.

the years can be tricky sometimes!

luckily Jack and Nathan are post-season birthdays so theyre only one age all season

if Jack can take a big step this season hed surpass MacKinnon's 22yo season! both of their 21yo seasons they were equally studs!

 

[Video Nasty]

the years can be tricky sometimes!

luckily Jack and Nathan are post-season birthdays so theyre only one age all season

if Jack can take a big step this season hed surpass MacKinnon's 22yo season! both of their 21yo seasons they were equally studs!

Time will tell. Hughes would need to finish second in PPG, at least 5th in raw points, and second in Hart voting to reach a rough equivalent of MacKinnon’s age 22 season. Based off last season, this could be anywhere from 110-128 points, depending on games played. It seems like a tall order.

As is matching how Drai really took off at the start of his own 5th season.

 

[Unbiased Fan]

I just think Drais at 21 was no where’s even close to Hughes right now. 5 years down the road I see 1. McDavid 2. Bedard 3. Hughes

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

What is this nonsense?

MacKinnon put up 39 goals and 97 points in 74 games and was runner up in the Hart race at age 22. Drai had 25 goals and 70 points in 78 games.

How are either of those, particularly MacKinnon, putrid?

Hughes is 3 games into his age 22 season. He’s coming off one really good season where the Devils top to bottom overachieved. The hockey world needs to slow down when it comes to this guy.

One good season? You mean besides the year before where he scored at a 94 point pace in a shortened season?

 

[Video Nasty]

One good season? You mean besides the year before where he scored at a 94 point pace in a shortened season?

Really good > good

Don’t really care about pace unless the player is Gretzky, Lemieux, and to a lesser degree, McDavid.

 

[McVespa99]

Yeah, but still behind Matthews and Hughes,

LOL. No

Hughes has a ways to go before he will pass Drai.

 

[HockeyWooot]

He isn't there yet, but he can definitely get there. Unreal player.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I doubt it. I dont think he overtakes Matthews/Draisaitl/Mackinnon anytime in the next 2-3 years... And by that point Bedard will have overtaken him.


So I dont think he ever reaches consensus #2 guy in the league, but I do think he the 5th best Center in the league right now, and will stay in the top 5 for the next ~5-7 years at least.

 

[Ncit3]

Hughes is probably just gonna keep getting better so I see it as possible.

People tend to forget that MacKinnon (who I have ahead of Hughes today), during his 21 y/o season, scored 53 points in 82 games. Jack Hughes had 99 in 78. MacKinnon finally broke through when he was in the same season as Hughes is now. In other words, still plenty of room for Hughes to grow his game.

MacKinnon's breakout was when he started seeing a sports psychologist. I think little about MacKinnon's breakout had much to do with strides that Hughes would take this year. He took steps because he finally got his mind right. Hughes can get better but he's not gonna have a jump as big as MacK did.

 

[TBF1972]

Jack Hughes will never be 2nd best player until drasaitl falls off so that’s not for awhile

are we talking second best player or second best point scorer? in certain aspects of the game hughes is already way better than draisaitl.

 

[TBF1972]

I can think of at least 10 players I'd rather have on my team before him

including contract?

 

[Buck Naked]

MacKinnon's breakout was when he started seeing a sports psychologist. I think little about MacKinnon's breakout had much to do with strides that Hughes would take this year. He took steps because he finally got his mind right. Hughes can get better but he's not gonna have a jump as big as MacK did.

I'm not saying that Hughes is gonna double his production from last year to this because MacKinnon did it at the same age, just gave an example of another player picked first overall who by the age of 22 was laughed at when people suggested that he could become the 2nd best player in the league.

 

[centipede2233]

are we talking second best player or second best point scorer? in certain aspects of the game hughes is already way better than draisaitl.

I don’t watch Hughes or drasaitl I just go by off stats so maybe you’re right.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

 

[keglu]

He obviously can. Not very likely like in every player vs field question.

 

[Gruyeriev]

MacKinnon's breakout was when he started seeing a sports psychologist. I think little about MacKinnon's breakout had much to do with strides that Hughes would take this year. He took steps because he finally got his mind right. Hughes can get better but he's not gonna have a jump as big as MacK did.

It was also the year the Duchene trade happened and he became the clear 1C going forward.

 

[independent observer]

Jack Hughes, truly an amazing talent and potential top 10 offense talent in the league.

But 2nd to McD? I would say in the conversation but I still see Drai, MacKinnon, Matthews and Kucherov ahead of him.

 

[BallardEra]

3 points tonight.

 

[vtdevils2k]

Kid is elite.

 

[BallardEra]

9 points in 4 games.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Not even converting at 5on5 yet.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Jack's gone past McDavid as the best player in the game

 

[Bounces R Way]

yes

 

[shaner8989]

Yes he can and might this year. He’s incredible

 

[vtdevils2k]

When in doubt...Jack Hughes. ELITE talent