It's a really, really good feeling to experience this with them.' 'I'm really excited for them, too,' Hughes said. 'We had a great group of guys, a lot of great people, great players. The previous record for the program was three. Louis Blues took defenceman Erik Johnson first overall in 2006.įriday was a banner night for the USNTDP, which had eight players taken in the first round, including three in the top-10. 1 directly out of the program after the St. Hughes is also just the second USNTDP player to be drafted No. 1 and the first since Toronto took Auston Matthews in 2016. He's the eighth American-born player to go No. Hughes was born in Orlando, Fla., but spent his formative years in the Toronto area when his father worked for the Maple Leafs. 'I'm a pretty calm kid,' he said. 'The only time I really got nervous was when (commissioner Gary Bettman) was talking up there for two minutes or so. Hughes said he didn't really feel any jitters until just before his name was called. New Jersey made the playoffs for the first time in five seasons in 2017-18, but is coming off a last-place finish in the Metropolitan Division. 1 picks Taylor Hall and Nico Hischier up front. The Devils had the third-best odds of winning the draft lottery back in April, but jumped two spots for the right to draft Hughes, who joins a team that already boasts fellow former No. National Team Development Program, while Kakko scored 22 goals - a record for a draft-eligible prospect - in Finland's top division in 2018-19.

1, but the second (pick) is also good,' said Kakko, also 18. 'I'm happy.'īut asked if he'll be looking to show New Jersey should have taken him instead of Hughes every time he suits up in blue - especially when the geographic rivals meet - Kaako responded 'yeah' with a little grin.Ī flashy centre, Hughes put up a record 154 assists and 228 points over two seasons with the under-18 U.S.

The New York Rangers then stepped up to the microphone and got a pretty good consolation prize in Kakko. 'It's a spot that really wanted me, I knew that from the get-go.' 'The Devils are a great organization, a great team, lots of good players, a pretty rich history, too. 'Going first overall was a dream of mine,' said the 18-year-old Hughes. The New Jersey Devils chose Hughes with the top selection in Friday's NHL draft, ending a year of back-and-forth speculation about which talented forward would open the night by climbing onto the stage at Rogers Arena. The other is going to work to prove he should have heard his name called first. VANCOUVER - Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko each wanted to be No.

Jack hughes nhl 19