Hockey is hereditary in the Hughes family.
Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes are the sons of Jim and Ellen Hughes, both of whom were hockey coaches, with Ellen helping the U.S. women’s hockey team win a gold medal.
Jim and Ellen are also parents to a son, Luke, who plays with Jack for the New Jersey Devils. However, unlike his older brothers, Luke did not earn a spot in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes made their Olympic debut at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics as teammates on the U.S. men’s hockey team.
The brothers have led their team as one of the top players in this season’s tournament, having already defeated Latvia, Denmark, Germany and Sweden in the quarter-finals.
quinn hughes
Hughes’ eldest son played college hockey at the University of Michigan from 2017 to 2019.
He was drafted seventh overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 2018 and finished the season at Michigan before joining the NHL.
The defenseman was traded to the Minnesota Wild last season.
Quinn was originally selected as a member of Team USA last year, but was forced to withdraw due to a lower body/oblique injury. This year, he is back and stronger than ever.
He scored the winning goal in Wednesday’s quarterfinal match against Sweden, ensuring the U.S. men’s team had a chance to earn a medal and advance to the semifinals.
Teammate and older brother Jack praised Quinn’s performance on the ice after the tumultuous game.
“It’s unreal. It’s a big goal and a big moment,” exclaimed Jack. “One of our best players took over there and won that game for us.”
Quinn was known for his haunting blank stares while performing, which gave rise to the hilarious meme of him seeing Victorian ghosts.
He mentioned this far-fetched theory earlier this week, explaining to the Boston Globe: “I’m usually pretty focused on what’s going on with me and trying to prepare myself to do what I’m supposed to do. Sometimes I hear some interesting stories out there (on the ice).”
“But like everyone says, I see ghosts all the time, so I usually focus on myself.”
jack hughes
The middle Hughes brother was selected No. 1 overall in the 2019 NHL Draft and currently plays for the New Jersey Devils.
He primarily plays as a forward, but occasionally switches to the wing, such as during the Four Nations tournament.
Unlike his brothers Quinn and Luke, who skated at the University of Michigan, Jack did not play college hockey and went straight to the NHL.
He and Quinn play on different teams and play different positions, so they rarely share the ice. That’s why it’s so special for Jack to be playing together at the Olympics this year.
“It’s funny, we’re all going to the same place little by little,” Jack said after Team USA’s 5-1 win over Latvia. “We want to put the puck in the same spot. Even if I’m a forward, he’s (a defenseman).
“I wanted to play with him all night. It’s a lot of fun to be able to give and go with him and play with each other. So yeah, I hope we can do a lot of that.”
Aside from his athletic endeavors, Jack made headlines last December when he sparked romance rumors with pop star Tate McRae.
The pair banded together for a cozy date in New York City after the musician attended Jack’s game at Newark’s Prudential Center, according to photos obtained by Page Six.
luke hughes
Hughes’ youngest brother is not on Team USA, but he was a first-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft after playing hockey at the University of Michigan.
He was drafted fourth overall by the Devils, where he plays alongside his younger brother Jack and shares the same defense as Quinn.
Luke is currently on long-term injured reserve with a shoulder injury.
The athlete has also been supporting his brothers competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics on social media.
Ellen Hughes
Ellen is a decorated athlete who played soccer, lacrosse, and hockey while attending the University of New Hampshire.
She won a silver medal at the 1992 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Women’s World Championship, but retired from competition by the time women’s ice hockey made its Olympic debut in 1998.
Ellen worked as a broadcaster covering women’s soccer and hockey, but left her job in 2009 to raise their three sons after her husband, Jim, took a job in player development.
In 2023, she was hired as a player development consultant for the U.S. women’s hockey team, which qualified for the Olympics.
She helped win gold at the World Championships twice, in 2023 and 2025.
“Never in a million years did I think I would have the opportunity to be in Italy and be part of the women’s Olympic team,” she told The Athletic in February 2026.
“And to have two sons there, I just count my blessings…and expect many wins.”
Jim Hughes
Jim has a long history as a hockey coach, rising from minor league assistant to director of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
But before that illustrious career, he was a star defenseman at Providence College.
He helped kids start their sports careers at an early age, putting them on the same trajectory as NHL players, coaches and executives.
“What he was telling 20-year-old prospects is what he was telling us when we were 12 years old,” Jack told ESPN in 2018.
“Every time I had a chance to watch a game with my dad, it felt like I was watching video with an NHL coach.”
Where did the Hughes family come from?
Jim and Ellen moved frequently as a family due to Jim’s career as a hockey coach.
Quinn and Jack were born in Orlando, Florida, where Jim worked as a minor league assistant. Luke was born in New Hampshire.
The family then moved to Boston, Massachusetts when Jim took a job as an assistant with the Bruins.
They spent the most time in Toronto, Canada, where Jim became director of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It was in Toronto that the brothers’ skills and desire for the sport truly blossomed.
“They developed a passion for the game outdoors. There was no structure. They just had fun, but it was all competition,” Jim told ESPN in 2018.
