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Jack Hughes walked so Jack Hughes could run.
The New Jersey Devils star is America’s hero after scoring the golden goal against Canada in Sunday’s Olympic final. It was the United States’ first gold medal since 1980, cementing the “Miracle on Ice.”
However, as the 2004 movie “Miracle” has skyrocketed in streams over the last couple of weeks, fans have noticed an eerie coincidence.
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Team USA hero Jack Hughes shares the name of a player that was cut from the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team. (Gregory Shamus, Steve Babineau/Getty Images)
The movie shows a player named Jack Hughes getting cut from the 1980 Olympic team. While plenty of movies based on true stories are dramatized, this actually happened.
Jack Hughes was a member of the U.S. national team while playing for Harvard and tried out for the Olympics in 1979 but was cut.
In another wild coincidence, the elder Hughes played 46 games for the Colorado Rockies, which became the Devils.
The Devils moved from Colorado in 1982 after six seasons — they were previously the Kansas City Scouts from 1974 to 1976.
United States’ Jack Hughes (86), who scored the winning overtime goal, celebrates after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Colorado’s hockey team is now the Avalanche, who were formerly the Quebec Nordiques from 1972 to 1995.
The two men are not related.
The newer Jack Hughes has lived up to the billing as the 2019 No. 1 overall pick. Drafted by the Devils out of the United States National Team Development Program, Hughes has made two All-Star Games and was also on last year’s 4 Nations team. His older brother, Quinn, scored an overtime goal against Sweden to bring the U.S. to the semifinals, and his younger brother, Luke, is also on the Devils. There’s been wide speculation that Quinn could join the Devils as a free agent.
The only thing stopping Hughes from going to the next level has been injuries — he even missed time with nerve damage earlier this season from what was dubbed a “freak accident” at a Chicago steakhouse.
Jack Hughes of United States celebrates with his national flag after scoring their second goal in overtime to win gold on Feb. 22, 2026. (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo)
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But now, the whole world knows his name. And the one that came before him.
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