29. Jack Hughes — C, Northeastern University, six-feet
The youngest player in college hockey this season, Hughes’ Nov. 2003 birthday allowed him to play two years at the U.S. NTDP ahead of his draft class and jump right in with the Huskies in Hockey East, where he posted 16 points in 39 games to finish fourth among the 14 under-19 forwards who played in the NCAA this year (behind the 19 points all scored by Jets first-rounder Chaz Lucius, fellow 2022 draft eligible Jack Devine, and Lightning fourth-rounder Dylan Duke).
Hughes is a prospect I’ve liked whenever I’ve watched him play over the last three seasons. He makes his linemates better and does a great job manufacturing shots and chances for himself (which I’d insist he has always done even when his production skewed toward the assist column at the program). I see a diligent two-way centre who skates well enough (this quality is underrated by some, I’d argue), possesses excellent hands, has a great deal of poise and vision under pressure, and thrives as a distributor (especially finding backdoor options). He doesn’t have star power, but I won’t be surprised if he becomes a heady, playmaking pivot who knows where to be and how to use the ice in order to reach his middle-six upside in the NHL. I expect him to take a step and produce more as a sophomore. The skill is there.
