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The Art of 68: From Mullet to Monument – Jaromir Jagr's Penguins Journey

Graphic: Genevive Oliver When you talk about players who truly defined the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jaromir Jagr isn't just on the list – he's a sprawling, vibrant masterpiece painted across the team's history. From his unmistakable mullet to those unstoppable power moves, 'Jags' was a force of nature, a mesmerizing mix of pure skill, raw strength, and relentless drive that kept fans glued to their seats for over a decade. His time in Pittsburgh wasn't just about piling up goals and assists; it was an incredible journey of dizzying highs, a tough goodbye, and then, a truly triumphant, heartfelt reunion that carved his place as an eternal Penguins legend. The Golden Child: From Young Phenom to Stanley Cup Star The hype around Jaromir Jagr started almost before he even got here. Drafted by the Penguins in 1990 as the fifth overall pick, this young Czech forward immediately brought a wild blend of size and dazzling skill to Pittsburgh. His rookie season in 1990-91 was ...

Luke Hughes: Calder Finalist

 






   On Tuesday, April 30th, the NHL announced the three Calder Trophy Finalists - Connor Bedard, Brock Faber, and Luke Hughes. All three rookies have had an amazing season and put in effort to finish their rookie seasons as the top three. The annual Awards ceremony will be held on June 27th in Las Vegas.

Hughes follows his brother Quinn Hughes (2nd in 2019-20) as a Calder Trophy finalist, which makes the duo the first brothers in NHL history voted for the award as finalists. 



   Luke Hughes, who appeared in the 2022-23 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, recorded two assists in the New Jersey Devils' 8-4 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes. In Game 6, he had 25:02 minutes on the ice.

He played for the Michigan Wolverines for two years in the NCAA. In both seasons, he helped the Wolverines advance to the Frozen Four. Hughes recorded 27 goals, 60 assists, and 87 points in 80 career games with a plus-50. He was named to both the 2023 NCAA (West) First All-American Team and the 2022 NCAA (West) Second All-American Team.


 




   In the 2023-24 season, Luke Hughes had set a Devils' franchise record for points by a rookie defenseman. He finished off the season with a total of 47 points (nine goals, 38 assists) while appearing in all 82 games for New Jersey. With his 47 points, he ranked second (tied) among rookies in the entire NHL.

His nine goals were also the most scored by a rookie defenseman and his 38 assists ranked second. Hughes led all rookie skaters with 25 power-play points, finishing in third among all rookies in average ice time per game (21:28).



   Luke Hughes recorded a career-best seven-game scoring streak from March 24th to April 7th with one goal and six assists (seven points). During that stretch, he also posted a five-game assist streak. He recorded 14 points (one goal, 13 assists) during a 12-game period (March 9th-April 11th) late in the year. On April 3rd against the New York Rangers, he hit a career-high 32:49 minutes of ice time while topping 24 minutes in 13 games.

When he joined the Devils at the end of the 2022-23 season, he made a huge impact for the team as soon as he joined. After he finished an incredible two years with the University of Michigan, Luke Hughes made his NHL debut on April 11th against the Buffalo Sabres. He played his second career game in the season finale in Washington on the 13th of April and recorded his first NHL point/assist. Hughes helped set up a goal by his brother, Jack Hughes, and scored his first NHL career goal. His first career goal had been an overtime winner on a breathtaking individual effort. With Luke's two-point effort, he helped New Jersey secure their franchise record 52nd win and their 112th point on the year.



   Luke Hughes will represent Team USA at the upcoming IIHF World Championships in May. He captained the United States at the 2023 World Under-20 Junior Championship to a bronze medal after he had scored four goals and recorded five points in seven games.



 

 

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