Who's Better: Luke or Quinn Hughes?
After Luke's highlight-reel goal in Saturday night's win over Ohio State, here's why I'm not alone in picking the youngest brother:
Photo Courtesy of University of Michigan Photography
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The truest observations just come to us. You don’t make them because you’re solicited for an opinion, you make them because the thought simply occurs to you.
I had one of those lightbulb moments last weekend at Little Caesars Arena, watching Luke Hughes score a goal with two assists in a 7-3 win over Michigan State in the annual “Duel in the D” game.
I thought: “Luke is actually better than his NHL All-Star brother and former Wolverines star Quinn Hughes.”
But I didn’t write it.
I doubted my own eyes, remembering just how great Quinn was at Michigan.
Then I watched Luke score three goals in two games this weekend in the sweep of Ohio State. The third and final goal, which gave his team a 2-0 lead in the second period of Saturday night’s 3-0 victory, was crazy good.
Luke crossed center ice on a one-man rush. He froze Buckeye defenseman Cole McWard well out in front of the net by deking him to the left and blowing past him to the right, breaking another pair of ankles. Then he beat goalie Jakub Dobes to the right corner of the net with a slick backhander.
“That’s going to be on SportsCenter!” shouted Michigan radio analyst Nolan De Jong, the team captain five years ago. “That’s a highlight reel for sure. This kid’s something else. He took about three strides over the red line into the goal.”
Between the second and third periods, I wanted to bounce my idea off De Jong – that Luke is better than Quinn. And perhaps better than Jack Hughes, too. I haven’t seen Jack – who went straight from the NHL Draft to the NHL -- play enough to say that.
“Fifteen years from now,” said De Jong, “we’re going to look back and say he was the best one. And the best player on this team, too.”
Wow.
That’s something mind-blowing to consider, isn’t it?
Quinn went No. 7 overall to the Vancouver Canucks in 2018, and played two seasons at Michigan with five goals each campaign and an average of 26 assists per season. He’s an NHL All-Star.
Jack went No. 1 overall to the New Jersey Devils in 2019, and already is an NHL All-Star despite having no college experience to build off after ripping it up for the U.S. National Development team in Plymouth – home to the Hughes family.
Luke went No. 4 overall to the Devils in 2021, and is having a monster freshman season for Michigan. He has 16 goals and 16 assists this season in 32 games – exactly one point per game.
He was asked about Saturday night’s gem.
“Yeah, I mean I had a ton of speed coming in and made a cut,” said Luke. “So, I kind of caught him flat-footed.”
Hockey players often learn to be humble when they are that good, and Luke is certainly that.
Michigan left wing Philippe Lapointe, who had a pretty goal of his own, said, “I mean, we're on the bench and everyone looked at each other and our jaws dropped. He just has so much speed, so much control with his edges, and he makes it look so easy. It was effortless. You know, he undressed the goalie and it was just a spectacular goal and one of the best ones I've seen in a while.”
“But, yeah, he does it all the time practice. He tries to wheel as much as he can. And so, you know, I'm not surprised by the goal. But at the same time, I am.”
Wolverine coach Mel Pearson’s take on the dazzling goal:
“Well, just a little bit of everything -- creativity, speed. I thought he had gone too far past the goalie that I didn't think there's any room for him to put that puck in. The young man never ceases to amaze me. He's so talented. He's just he's so fun to watch. He’s a game changer. And he's grown so much. But the tremendous speed and just the creativity, and just having the wherewithal to make a play like that. His confidence, as you can see, is just through the roof. And hopefully (that) gets out on SportsCenter either tonight or tomorrow.”
Wolverine captain and primo defenseman Nick Blankenburg was asked what impresses him most about Luke.
“That’s an easy question,” replied Blankenburg. “It’s his skating ability, and just the way he thinks with the puck. I think the most improvement I’ve seen from him this year is just his play on the blue line in general. You see him doing these cuts and stops. I mean, he gets everything, breaking a guy’s ankles out at the blue line. And just a lot of growth in his defense; I know that’s something he takes a lot of pride in.”
How much does Luke remind Blankenburg of Quinn?
“Pretty similar. I mean, they’re both really good skaters. They kind of like to do a dipsy-doodle at the blue line. So, if I used one word to describe both of them, it would be exciting. Exciting to watch and exciting to play with as a player.”
Pearson has been asked many times to compare Quinn and Luke, and offered this when I put that question to him one more time:
“A little different, you know, but they're the same. It’s the skating and the (high) hockey IQ, and the confidence. Those things they have, and, you know, Luke might be maybe a little bit better finisher. You know, he's proven that at this level. But both are tremendous players…And, again, it just all starts with the skating. It all starts with their hockey brains, and then just to compete with that level of confidence. I mean, they're so good, so good.
“I just wish we had had the third one (Jack) here, too.”
Pearson discussed Luke committing while his oldest brother, Quinn, played here in 2017-18 and then stayed for 2018-19 after getting drafted. He said Luke would “enjoy the atmosphere” at Yost when watching Quinn, and was hooked.
On that early commitment, Pearson said, “Seems so long ago, but we're glad he's here. Glad to have them and it would be nice to keep him for four years.”
Pearson winked long and hard for effect, adding that he hopes he can get two years out of Luke, too.
That seems unlikely, but so did Quinn returning for a second year.
We shall see.
What the Wolverines do in the NCAA Tournament could play a big role in whether or not Luke is a one-and-done.
One thing’s for sure: College goalies sure hope they’re seeing the last of Luke Hughes.
I was at that game yesterday. As the play was developing, I could see Luke Hughes use his speed to get distance and separation from two buckeyes, use the open ice to freeze the last osu defenseman, and swing so wide on the goalie fhat I’m sure he expected Hughes to swing behind the net. Then boom. Backhand high into the net over a prone and totally fooled netminder. It was a beautiful hockey move started by Hughes’ speed, and finished off by his creativity. Everything his teammates, his coach, and you said. I’m afraid Hughes will go to the NHL after this season, so I am savoring every shift, every shot, every play from this future All Star. He is as much a joy to watch as is Quinn. What a hockey family!