Meet Jack and Quinn Hughes, Team USA Hockey’s star brother duo

In the Hughes family, hockey is hereditary.

Jack and Quinn Hughes are the sons of Jim and Ellen Hughes, who are both hockey coaches themselves — Ellen even helped the US Women’s hockey team win gold.

Jim and Ellen are also parents to son Luke, who plays on the New Jersey Devils alongside Jack. However, unlike his older brothers, Luke did not score a spot in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Jack and Quinn Hughes made their olympic debut at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics as teammates on the US men’s hockey team.

The brothers are leading the team as one of the top in the tournament this season, already defeating Latvia, Denmark, Germany and Sweden in the quarterfinals.

Quinn Hughes

The eldest Hughes brother 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 out his season at Michigan before joining the NHL.

The defenseman was traded to the Minnesota Wild this past season.

Quinn was originally named to the Team USA roster last year, but was forced to withdraw due to a lower-body/oblique injury. This year, he returned stronger than ever.

He made the game-winning goal against Sweden in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, securing the US men’s team a shot at playing for a medal as they advance to the semifinals. 

His teammate and brother, Jack, praised Quinn’s performance on the ice after the whirlwind game.

“That’s unreal. That’s a massive goal, massive moment,” Jack gushed. “One of our best players taking over there and winning that game for us.”

Jack Hughes

The middle Hughes brother was picked first overall in the 2019 NHL Draft and currently plays for the New Jersey Devils.

He is primarily plays forward, but also shifts to the wing at times, like he did during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.

Unlike his brothers Quinn and Luke, who both skated for the University of Michigan, Jack did not play college hockey and instead went directly to the NHL. 

Since he and Quinn play on different teams and play different positions, it is rare they get to share the ice — which is why playing in the Olympics together this year is so special to Jack.

“It’s funny, we go to the same spots a little bit,” Jack said after Team USA’s 5-1 win over Latvia. “We want the puck in the same spots. Even though I’m a forward, he’s a [defenseman].

“I wanted to play with him all night. It’s so fun to be doing give-and-gos with him, playing off each other. So yeah, hopefully we can do that a lot.”

Aside from his athletic endeavors, Jack made headlines last December for sparking romance rumors with pop star Tate McRae.

In photos obtained by Page Six, the pair bundled up for a cozy date in New York City after the musician had attended Jack’s game at Newark’s Prudential Center.

Ellen Hughes

Ellen is a decorated athlete who played soccer, lacrosse and hockey while attending the University of New Hampshire.

She won silver at the 1992 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Women’s World Championships, but retired from the sport by the time women’s ice hockey made its Olympic debut in 1998.

Ellen worked as a broadcaster covering women’s soccer and hockey before leaving TV in 2009 to raise her three sons when husband Jim got a job in player development.

In 2023, she made it to the Olympics when she was hired as the player development consultant for the US Women’s hockey team.

She helped them win gold in the World Championships twice — once in 2023 and again in 2025.

“Never in a million years did I think that I would be in Italy and have the opportunity to be a part of the women’s Olympic team,” she told The Athletic in February 2026.

“And then to have two sons there, you just count your blessings … and hope for a lot of wins.”

Where is the Hughes family from?

Jim and Ellen moved the family around a lot due to Jim’s hockey coaching career.

Quinn and Jack were born in Orlando, Fla., where Jim worked as a minor league assistant.

The family then moved to Boston, Mass., when Jim got a job as a Bruins assistant.

They spent the longest period of time in Toronto, Canada, where Jim became the director of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Toronto was where the brothers’ skill and drive for the sport really blossomed.

“They grew their passion for the game outdoors,” Jim told ESPN in 2018. “There was no structure. They just had fun, but everything was a competition.”