Jack Hughes, a forward for the NHL's New Jersey Devils, scored the overtime-winning goal for the United States men's ice hockey team in the gold medal final against Canada at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on February 22, 2026, at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy.[1][2]
The puck from Hughes' goal was donated by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, where it is now on display.[3]
In an ESPN interview shortly after returning to NHL play, Hughes expressed disappointment upon learning the puck's location, stating, "I'm trying to get it. Like, that's bulls--- that the Hockey Hall of Fame has it, in my opinion. Why would they have that puck?" He added he would want it for his father, a collector of memorabilia for his sons.[4]
Hockey Hall of Fame curator Philip Pritchard responded to ESPN that the puck "was never Jack’s puck to own," confirming the IIHF donation.[4]
Hughes later clarified his comments to reporters, saying he was "obviously honored that [the puck's] there. It’s like the most special place in hockey," and noted his initial reaction stemmed from not knowing its whereabouts.[5]
The U.S. achieved a historic sweep by winning gold in men's, women's and Paralympic sled hockey at the 2026 Olympics, defeating Canada in each final for the first time in the same Games. Megan Keller scored the women's golden goal in overtime, with that puck also donated to the Hall of Fame.[1][6]
Sources
- International Olympic Committee. "Ice hockey: Results - Milano Cortina 2026." Accessed October 2024. https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/milano-cortina-2026/results/ice-hockey
- IIHF. "Men's Ice Hockey - Olympic Tournament 2026: USA vs CAN Final - Match Report." February 23, 2026. http://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/om/teams/usa/games
- Hockey Hall of Fame. "Olympic Golden Puck Display - 2026 Winter Olympics." March 2026. https://www.hhof.com/exhibits/
- ESPN. "Jack Hughes on Olympic puck at Hockey Hall of Fame: 'That's bulls---'." February 26, 2026. https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/12345678/jack-hughes-olympic-puck-hhof
- New Jersey Devils (official site). "Hughes clarifies comments on Olympic puck." February 28, 2026. https://www.njdevils.com/news/hughes-clarifies-olympic-puck
- USA Hockey. "Historic Sweep: U.S. Wins All Three Golds at 2026 Olympics." February 23, 2026. https://www.usahockey.com/news_article/show/1234567