Despite his best efforts, it appears Jack Hughes will not be receiving the puck from his golden moment at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The Hockey Hall of Fame said Wednesday in an interview with ESPN's Greg Wyshynski that it will not give Hughes the puck from his gold-medal-winning goal against Canada.
"Unfortunately, in the easiest words, it was never Jack's puck to own," Philip Pritchard, vice president of the resource center and curator for the Hockey Hall of Fame, said to Wyshynski.
"It's been donated to us now. For every artifact that's been donated, we have a paper trail and signed paperwork of where it's come from."
The statement from Pritchard comes shortly after Hughes made his case as to why he deserved the puck.
"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?" Hughes said to Wyshynski in an exclusive interview.
Both Hughes' and Megan Keller's golden-goal pucks were put on display this week at the Hall in Toronto as part of a showcase from the 2026 Games.
Keller, of course, delivered her own overtime gold-medal moment for the U.S. in Milan, when she beat Canada's Ann-Renée Desbiens to clinch the Olympic title.
"I don't see why Megan Keller or I shouldn't have those pucks," Hughes added.
“These donated items represent defining moments on the world’s biggest stage and carry powerful stories of national pride and hockey history at its highest level,” Hall of Fame President and CEO Jamie Dinsmore said in a statement Monday about the Olympic showcase. “The Olympics ’26 display will help ensure that these unforgettable Olympic moments are preserved for our guests from around the world to experience.”
A stick from American Brady Tkachuk and gloves from teammate Jack Eichel, along with jerseys from Canada captain Sidney Crosby and Sweden forward William Nylander, are among the more than 70 items that will be on display for a limited time.
Hughes' goal against Canadian netminder Jordan Binnington in a three-on-three overtime delivered the Americans their first Olympic gold in men's hockey since the 1980 Games in Lake Placid.
The New Jersey Devils star told ESPN that he wants to give the puck to his father, Jim, who is "a monster collector" for the three Hughes brothers.
"I know he would have a special place for it."
Hughes added that he hasn't reached out to the Hall of Fame about getting the puck, but plans to do so in short order.
— with files from The Associated Press
