Hughes, likely No. 1 pick in 2019 NHL Draft, gets big assist from family

Jack played two seasons with the NTDP, whose typical schedule includes teams from the United States Hockey League (players ages 16 to 20) and teams from NCAA Division I and III, growing as a player and person under coach John Wroblewski. The NTDP also competes in three international tournaments each season.The OHL is also a proven development path for amateur players with hopes of one day reaching the NHL. The 20-team league, one of the three major junior leagues in the Canadian Hockey League, is for players ages 16 to 21. During the past six years, there have been 89 OHL players selected in the first round of the NHL Draft.Kane, who had 172 points (84 goals, 88 assists) in 121 NTDP games (1.42 ppg) from 2004-06, played one season with London of the OHL and had 145 points (62 goals, 83 assists) in 58 games in 2006-07 before joining the Blackhawks the next season.”Elite prospects with the skills and talents like Jack Hughes will develop no matter which development path they choose,” NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr said. “The USA Hockey-NCAA model and the CHL model are both proven development paths with similar yet distinct opportunities. Successful development always revolves around each individual player as some players have high-end natural abilities, some physically mature sooner, and others have excelled throughout high school or minor hockey.”It’s these factors which often steer a player toward one path or the other. The support group of a player (coaches, parents, agents) always try to steer the player toward the path best suited for the individual as they often know best whether a young player can accelerate his development or if the player requires a more measured path, but a player will develop at his own pace no matter which level he plays.”The records for points and assists Jack set in his two seasons with the NTDP are major milestones. He passed Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller (189), Pittsburgh Penguins forward Phil Kessel (180), Kane (172) and Matthews (167) on the points list, and Keller (118), Matthews (88), Kane (88) and Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk (77) on the assist list.Jack had 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) and 46 shots on goal in 11 games against college competition, and 48 points (12 goals, 36 assists) and 123 shots on goal in 24 games against USHL competition this season.Wroblewski said he knew the first time he saw Jack that he was special.”Quinn was playing with the U-18s and it was in mid-May, so Jack would have just turned 15,” Wroblewski said. “He’s on the ice with a bunch of kids who are 17, the best in the country, and he’s so tiny, so skinny … the jersey was too big for him. He couldn’t skate as well as he does now, but he could still manipulate the defense. I mean, for his level, he could fly, but for out there he was average speed compared to the men two years older than him.”He couldn’t drive the pace, but could still manipulate, like a Patrick Kane can. In those in-tight 2-on-1 situations, you knew the defensemen could close him out if they just went at him with a proper stick, but there was this apprehension from them to close on him, and then he’d rip it by the goalie’s ear or slide it through the legs to a guy on the back post. It was truly remarkable to watch, and he had that swagger right away, that smile on his face. Jack Hughes truly loves and has a genuine passion for this game.”