The Fischler Report: The Very Amazing Hughes Brothers
Just how good are the Hughes brothers? How have they impacted their respective teams & the hockey universe at large?
Had you gone to Vegas five years ago and bet that three American brothers would become 2023 NHL stars -- one with Vancouver and two in New Jersey -- you'd be carried to the nearest loony bin.
There you'd be rejected for being too delusional and dispatched to Planet Jupiter or Krypton if Jupiter was overcrowded with nut cases.
Yet on opening night, 2023-24, in Vancouver, defenseman Quinn Hughes captained the Canucks with three assists in a 8-1 rout of Edmonton. A couple of nights later, he led the British Columbians to another win over Connor McDavid's dandies.
Across the continent, Quinn's siblings -- Jack and Luke -- spearheaded a New Jersey opening night triumph over Detroit. Center Jumpin' Jack had two goals, and rookie Larrupin' Luke played solid defense. Jack had three assists in a 4-3 shootout loss to Arizona on Friday night.
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I'M JUST SAYIN'
* Official Maven Warning: Let's not get too crazy with results so far. We haven't even finished the first week of action.
* But, as the Penguins learned in its final slip out of a playoff berth; the first win is as important as the last win.
* A couple of big Pitt questions: Can Jarry come up with enough big games? Can the power play become POWERFUL? No major worries now because it's way too soon to tell.
* Collegiate team to watch? Michigan Tech.