Jack Hughes says Hockey Hall of Fame holds puck from U.S. Olympic men's hockey golden goal
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes said he must travel to Toronto to view the puck from his overtime game-winning goal against Canada in the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
Hughes, 24, scored on Feb. 22, 2026, at Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, clinching the first U.S. gold medal in Olympic men's ice hockey since the 1980 Lake Placid Games.[1][4]
Hughes called it "bulls---" that the Hockey Hall of Fame possesses the puck. "I'm trying to get it. … Why would they have that puck?" he told ESPN.
Philip Pritchard, vice president of the resource center and curator for the Hockey Hall of Fame,[3] responded: "Unfortunately, in the easiest words, it was never Jack's puck to own. It's been donated to us now. For every artifact that's been donated, we have a paper trail and signed paperwork of where it's come from."
The International Ice Hockey Federation donated the puck after the game. Hall of Fame staff assisted with the process in Milan. The Hall also holds the puck from U.S. women's player Megan Keller's golden goal three days earlier.
In Olympic tournaments, on-ice officials typically collect milestone pucks and gear, which are passed to IIHF officials for identification and potential donation as memorabilia.
Hughes said he wants the puck for his father, a hockey memorabilia collector. "I wouldn’t even want it for myself. I’d want it for my dad," he said.
Hughes plans to formally contact the Hall of Fame, which has returned artifacts to players in previous cases.
Sources
- Publisher: Olympics.com
Title: Ice hockey - Men Lake Placid 1980
Publication date: Accessed October 2024
Direct URL: https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/lake-placid-1980/results/ice-hockey-men - Publisher: NHL.com
Title: Jack Hughes - Stats, Contract, Salary & more
Publication date: Accessed October 2024
Direct URL: https://www.nhl.com/devils/player/jack-hughes-8480020 - Publisher: Hockey Hall of Fame
Title: Phil Pritchard - Vice President, Curator, HHof
Publication date: Accessed October 2024
Direct URL: https://www.hhof.com/page/pritchard-phil-vp-curator-hhof - Publisher: Milano Cortina 2026
Title: Santa Giulia Arena Milano
Publication date: Accessed October 2024
Direct URL: https://www.milanocortina2026.org/en/olympic-games/olympics-venues/santa-giulia-arena-milano
