“He should be able to take that on,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He’s a young guy. He should be able to learn and grow with every day that comes his way, every opportunity that comes his way.”
Hughes, a finalist for NHL Rookie of the Year last season, has logged a lot of minutes on the PK prior to joining the NHL. He was used on the kill during his time at the USA National Team Development Program and his two years playing at Michigan in the NCAA.
So, the role is nothing new to him. Though he has only begun to dip his feet at the NHL level.
“I’ve PK’d on every team I’ve played before except this one, before I got to the NHL,” he said. “My defending and room to grow, it definitely helps.”
It’s easy to see why the Devils want to utilize Hughes, who stands at 6-foot-2 and 198 pounds, on the man-disadvantage. He has a lot of desirable attributes for a penalty killer.
“He’s everything you want in a penalty killer,” Keefe said. “He’s big, he’s got a long stick, he’s fast, can close space quickly.”
“I have a long reach, quick to get on pucks and have a good stick,” Hughes said. “I just have to do the job they tell me to do, get pucks down, be reliable and dependable.”
Hughes has certainly been an asset to the unit. The PK squad has killed 18 or 21 times shorthanded since Siegenthaler’s injury.
“He’s stepping up and doing a great job for us,” said defenseman Brenden Dillon, another stalwart PKer for the Devils. “He wants to be as complete a player as possible. Being able to kill penalties and defend, he’s eager to do that. That’s kudos to him.
“Penalty killing is not easy. These guys keep getting better and better, offenses, power plays, top-end guys.”
That doesn’t mean he will be perfect. Hughes is a young player that is still growing into a more expansive role. He still has much to learn, but has a lot of potential.
“It’s an education. Also, it’s a skill, too,” Dillon said. “Using your stick, using your size, breaking pucks out on the PK. All in all, he’s doing an awesome job. We’re going to continue to need him to do that.”
Hughes, the fourth-overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, is developing into a foundational piece for the organization. He’s already a big contributor at even strength and on the power play. Hughes logs a lot of minutes – ranking second in average ice time at 20:16 – and provides a lot of great two-way play. Tacking on some PK work to his resume only makes him all the more well-rounded.
“Playing in all situations, growing my game from a one-sided, offensive guy to a two-way defenseman that can play in all situations,” he said of his goal. “Whether 6-on-5, 5-on-6, penalty kill, power play, I’m trying to grow and become that guy every day.
“I’m trying to gain trust and do my job every day. I think I’ve done a good job so far. I just need to keep going, keep learning and keep growing in that role.”
Of course, this opportunity has only arisen due to the injury to Siegenthaler. However, that doesn’t mean it won’t become a fixture of Hughes’ game in the future. Injuries create opportunities and Hughes is making the most of his.
“I like the job that he’s done there,” Keefe said. “I like that he’s embraced it.”
