Quinn, Jack Hughes: The present, and maybe future, of Michigan hockey

Michigan defenseman Quinn Hughes is focused on the present. The rest of the hockey world is anticipating the possibilities for Hughes and his two younger siblings in the future.

Quinn is an 18-year-old freshman for the No.12-ranked Michigan Wolverines, which host Wisconsin in a best-of-three Big Ten tournament series starting Friday. Hughes is expected to be a top-15 pick in the 2018 NHL draft this June.

Forward Jack Hughes, who turns 17 on May 14, has been a dominant player this season for the Plymouth-based USA Hockey National Team Development Program. He is being touted as the early favorite to be drafted No.1 overall in 2019.

Defenseman Luke Hughes, 14, helped the 14U Little Caesars AAA team go 7-0-0 to win the International Silver championship in Port Huron in January. If Luke continues to develop, he could become the third member of his family to play for the NTDP.

Skating is considered a strength for all three boys. "Lukey might be the best skater out of the three of us," Jack said. "He's a clone of Quinn. He might be further along than Quinn was at the same age."

Ellen and Jim Hughes have kept the boys grounded because they've seen many players who were considered 'can't miss' fail to reach the NHL.

“At the end of the day, none of us are playing in the NHL,” Quinn said of the attention he and his brothers are getting. “We’re just trying to get started, trying to get better every day.”

The family sport

The trio played many different sports growing up, but their focus gradually gravitated toward the family sport.

Their mother, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, played hockey, soccer and lacrosse in college. She was a 2012 inductee into the University of New Hampshire Athletics Hall of Fame.

Their father, Jim , has been involved in coaching and player development in professional hockey for more than two decades.

Jim was an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins from 2001-2003 and head coach of the Manchester Monarchs (AHL) in 2005-2006. Before joining CAA Sports as a director of player development and moving to Michigan in 2017, he was director of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs. This comes after his collegiate playing career at Providence, where he played from 1985-1989.

“There were many a night when I said, ‘Alright, no talk about hockey.’” Ellen recalled. “And our table would be really quiet.

“They grew up with (hockey) with what Jim did. It was my job to make sure they were completely well-rounded. For us it was just being great teammates and great people.”

Quinn-essential

Quinn, the youngest player in NCAA Division I, was named U-M’s freshman of the year at the team banquet on Sunday. He has three goals and 18 assists for 21 points in 31 games and a plus-11 rating. He ranks third among NCAA freshmen defensemen with 0.68 points per game.

“When he’s on the ice he controls the game,” Michigan coach Mel Pearson said. “He’s so competitive that at times he wants to push the pace, when maybe he should just move it up and get it out.”

Pearson said Quinn should be drafted early in the first round for a number of reasons.

“You put the hockey IQ with his skating and the competitive nature that he has — and his hands,” Pearson said. “He’s got all the ingredients you’re looking for in a high-end player. And he’s a great person.

“He’s got that it. How do you describe that it? He’s just got it. He’s worth the price of admission.”

Quinn (5-foot-10) said everyone looks at his size and just thinks of him as an offensive defenseman. He will argue his defensive game is just as good, but doesn't get the credit.

"(Being undersized) helped me because I knew how to survive when I was super small,” he said. “Now that I’m stronger, it’s helped me. I’m enjoying college — older competition, stronger competition. It’s helped me prepare for the next level.”

He admitted he would be lying if he said he didn't think about where he’ll end up in the draft. “There’s a couple things that are important for me, right now.”

That includes the Big Ten tournament and “prolonging my season” in the 16-team NCAA tournament.

Two Hughes at U-M in 2019?

There’s a chance Jack could join his older brother at Michigan next season. The middle Hughes has not committed anywhere, and Ellen and Jim acknowledge U-M is one possibility.

Michigan has had players accelerate to play college hockey early. Jack is currently in his junior year of high school, but, through online courses, he could go on an accelerated academic track, and graduate early to be able to play collegiality next year.

Jack sought exceptional status to play in the Ontario Hockey League as a 15-year-old, but was denied. Among the short list of players who have been granted that status to play a year early are John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad and Connor McDavid, who are now in the NHL.

Jack has dealt with comparisons to McDavid since he dominated the Greater Toronto Hockey League, before coming to Plymouth.

"He's an unbelievable player," Jack said of McDavid, who he skated with this summer. "It would be an honor to be compared to him for a little bit."

Because of his family ties with pro hockey, he's had a chance in recent years to meet hockey greats like Sidney Crosby and Red Wings legend Gordie Howe, who passed away in June 2016.

Jack seems unfazed by the growing attention about his future.

"I'm really still a 16-year-old kid that hasn't done anything yet," he said. "I'm just going to keep having fun and keep working."

Jack has done some impressive things in his first season at USA Hockey Arena. He began with the NTDP Under-17 team, coached by John Wroblewski, and was eventually promoted to the Under-18 team, coached by Seth Appert.

In 43 games between the teams, he has scored 22 goals and 57 assists for 79 points. Red Wings assistant general manger Ryan Martin said Jack was one of the best players in the recent U-18 Five Nations tournament, which was won by USA.

"He's proving himself to be a world-class player," Appert said. "We always knew he was going to get called up at some point. We called him up earlier than most young men get calls up. His was earlier and it was earned."

Jack's success hasn't surprised his older brother; he's always viewed him as a dominant player. While they love to compliment each other, they are competitive when it comes to things like basketball, ping pong and hockey.

“It you’re asking who is coming out of the corner with the puck right now, I’d say me,” Quinn said. “But I’m obviously super proud of him. I love him with all my heart. I’m happy for the success he’s having.”

And Quinn said he'd be happy if Jack played for the Wolverines next season.

“Playing with my brother would be a dream come true,” Quinn said. “He’s gotta make his own decision.”

Players typically commit to the NTDP for two seasons. Appert understands why playing with his brother might be enticing.

"From a development standpoint, this is arguably, if not the best, place to develop in the world," Appert said of NTDP. "Because we practice for extended periods of time every day, because we're not necessarily beholden to our Friday night result. He's still going to get 20 games (against NCAA) teams next season."

Jack and the Hughes family has options. Along with U-M, the Mississauga Steelheads drafted him with the eighth overall pick in the 2017 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection. Or he could stay at NTDP for the second year.

“It could be a perfect scenario,” Jim said of Jack going to U-M. “But they’re not there yet. The beauty is Jack is in a really great spot right now. He values the development he’s getting with Seth and Wrobo.”

Quinn said he and his brother haven’t talked about next year's possibilities yet. They’re focused on what they still can accomplish this season, on their respective teams.

Quinn aiming to win a Big Ten hockey tournament title and more.

Jack trying to help the U-18 team win the U.S. Hockey League title and then the IIHL Ice Hockey U18 World Championship in Russia, April 19-28.