The New Jersey Devils star was the hero for the U.S. men’s hockey team as it captured its first Olympic gold medal since 1980. (Photo by RvS.Media/Monika Majer/Getty Images)
(RvS.Media/Monika Majer via Getty Images)
The Hockey Hall of Fame has responded to Jack Hughes’ request for the puck from his gold medal-winning overtime goal against Canada during the Olympic men’s tournament final.
In short, the valuable piece of sports memorabilia will stay at the museum in Toronto.
“Unfortunately, in the easiest words, it was never Jack’s puck to own,” said Hockey Hall of Fame vice president of the resource center and curator Phil Pritchard told ESPN’s Greg 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.”
Hughes had told Wyshynski on Tuesday that after finding out the puck was at the Hall of Fame, he would like to give to his father.
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“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. “I don’t see why Megan Keller or I shouldn’t have those pucks.”
Since the gold-medal game, the Hughes’ puck has been on display at the Hall of Fame along with other notable items from the Milan Cortina Olympics, including the puck from Megan Keller’s overtime goal, which helped the U.S. women capture gold over Canada.
Pritchard explained that when historic or memorable moments happen to NHL players, they are allowed to keep the items if they’d like. The Hall of Fame will reach out at times to request something, but the players always have the right to decline donating. But for international events, such as the Olympics, which is run by the International Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation, that’s not the case. The IIHF collects and authenticates memorable items from tournaments with Hall of Fame staff assisting in the process.
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In the instance of Hughes’ goal, which gave the American men their first Olympic hockey gold medal since the 1980 Lake Placid Games, an on-ice official would collect the puck and give it to an off-ice official, who then would label it. The puck is then given to the IIHF to donate to the Hall of Fame.
Pritchard explained there’s a reason for the process.
“Part of being a nonprofit registered charity in Canada is it becomes kind of a legal document that we’ve received it as a donation,” he said. “We’ve insured it, we’ve preserved it, we conserved everything. It becomes part of our institution.”
The Hall of Fame has received many requests from players or their families over the years for certain items, but the response is always the same.
“We try to take the emotion out of it. We’re here to preserve a game that Jack’s lucky enough to play or we’re lucky enough to work in,” Pritchard said. “That’s why the Hockey Hall of Fame museum exists as an institution: We’re preserving the game of the past, present and the future.”
Hughes said this week he has yet to reach out to the Hockey Hall of Fame about the puck, but plans to.