Jack Hughes is expected to go No. 1 in the 2019 NHL Draft, but for now he’s busy breaking records with the U.S. U18 National Team overseas.
Hughes had three goals and an assist in a 6-0 win over Finland on Thursday to give him 28 total points in just 12 career U18 games.
Hughes, 18, has 16 points in five games at the event, tying the U.S. single-tournament mark set by Pittsburgh Penguins winger Phil Kessel in 2005 (in six games).
His 28 total points break’s Kessel’s U.S. mark of 26 points in 14 games over the 2004 and 2005 championships. He still trails Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin’s overall record of 31 points, which came over a 14-game span in 2002 and 2003.
The Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov holds the single tournament record with 21 points in 2011.
The win propelled the U.S. team into the semifinals of the IIHF World Under-18 Championship, giving Hughes at least two more games to add to his total.
—Field Level Media