HHOF won't give golden puck to Jack Hughes: It was never his to own

The Hockey Hall of Fame won't give New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes the puck from his overtime goal that secured Team USA's gold medal at the Milan Cortina Olympics in February.

"Unfortunately, in the easiest words, it was never Jack's puck to own," Philip Pritchard, vice president of the resource center and HHOF curator, told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski on Wednesday.

"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."

While the Hockey Hall of Fame can request items connected to NHL milestones and events, players and teams aren't obligated to donate them. In contrast, Pritchard said the IIHF has collected, authenticated, and preserved items from the Olympics and world championship tournaments since 1998.

"Items are formally transferred to the Hall through IIHF's established artifact donation process and added into our permanent collection," the HHOF said in a statement.

Hughes, however, believes he should own the puck from his overtime goal against Canada that gave the American men their first Olympic gold medal since 1980.

"I'm trying to get it. Like, that's bullshit that the Hockey Hall of Fame has it, in my opinion. Why would they have that puck?" Hughes told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski on Tuesday.

The golden-goal puck from Team USA's triumph is currently being showcased at the HHOF in Toronto. The puck from Boston Fleet star Megan Keller's overtime goal, which clinched gold for the U.S. women's hockey team over Canada, is also among the mementos in the "Olympics '26" display.

Pritchard also noted that ownership of the puck now involves legal considerations.

"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," Pritchard explained. "We've insured it, we've preserved it, we conserved everything. It becomes part of our institution."

Hughes wanted to give the piece of history to his father, Jim, who acts as the family archivist for Jack and his brothers, Quinn Hughes and Luke Hughes.

"I wouldn't even want it for myself. I'd want it for my dad. I know he'd just love, love having it," Jack said.