The Hockey Hall of Fame intends to keep the puck Jack Hughes slapped to score the gold-medal winning goal for the United States in the Milan Cortina Olympics, despite Hughes wanting to gift it to his father.
Philip Pritchard, the vice president of the resource center and curator for the Hockey Hall of Fame, told ESPN on Wednesday that Hughes has no claim to the puck.
“Unfortunately, in the easiest words, it was never Jack’s puck to own,” Pritchard said. “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.”
In this case, the puck that Hughes hit past Canada goalie Jordan Binnington in overtime to give the U.S. men a 2-1 win last month was given to the Hall directly from the International Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation, which jointly conducted the Olympic tournament. The IIHF is charged with collecting and authenticating items from world championship tournaments and the Olympics.
The protocol differs in the NHL, where players routinely are allowed to keep the pucks, sticks or other gear used in milestone moments. While the Hockey Hall of Fame might request memorabilia, players and teams are not required to donate the item.
The puck went on display this week at the Hall of Fame in Toronto, as did the puck Megan Keller played to score the winning goal as the U.S. women won the gold-medal game.
The American women also defeated Canada, 2-1, for the United States’ third Olympic gold medal. For the men, it was the first time the Americans won gold since the “Miracle on Ice” team did it in 1980 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Hughes, who plays for the New Jersey Devils, told ESPN on Tuesday that he and Keller should possess the pucks.
“I’m trying to get it. Like, that’s bull—- that the Hockey Hall of Fame has it, in my opinion. Why would they have that puck?” Hughes told the network. “I don’t see why Megan Keller or I shouldn’t have those pucks.”
Hughes said he wants to give the puck to his father, Jim, who collects items of significance in the careers of Hughes and his NHL-playing brothers Quinn (Minnesota Wild) and Luke (Devils).
“When I look back in time in my career, I don’t collect too many things for myself, but my dad’s a monster collector for the three of us,” Hughes told ESPN. “I know he would have a special place for it.”
