2021 NHL Draft: Luke Hughes is another Hughes brother, I’m serious

You have Quinn Hughes. You have Jack Hughes. But guess what? There’s another one.

Luke Hughes is their sizeable brother that played at the University of Michigan last year and is just yet another brother that is projected to go in the top-10 of an NHL Draft. He might not have the same outlook as Jack, or the same playmaking ability from the blue line as Quinn, but he certainly deserves to be picked with one of the first picks on July 23.

Whether it’s the Staals, the Stromes, or even the countless brothers that have played in the NHL together, none might be as highly touted as the Hughes and we shall see where they end up in their respective careers in a decade or so.

Family ties aside, Luke is going to be an interesting player to look out for, given that he’s actually been able to play some hockey during the pandemic.

Pre-Draft Rankings

#4 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)

#4 by The Athletic/Pronman

#5 by Dobber Prospects

#11 by Elite Prospects

#1 by FCHockey

What Scouts Are Saying

-Smaht Scouting

-Clare McManus, Dobber Prospects

-Tony Ferrari, Dobber Prospects

-Corey Pronman, The Athletic

Would He Fit In With The Wild?

An offense-first blueliner that can make plays and has some size to boot — the Wild organization and fans would be drooling at the sight of him on the ice. A perfect replacement for Ryan Suter once he turns old and grey in a year or two, Hughes would give that offense that is surely lacking from the forwards on this team. Keeping the waves of pressure on-going and keeping the transition into the offensive zone simple.

He would seem like the perfect fit if the Wild held a top-10 pick in this year’s draft, but they’re stuck towards the bottom because they were just too good last season.

Could The Wild Get Him?

Barring any insane fall through the draft, Hughes will likely be a top-10 pick and is surely a candidate to be taken in the first five. Which means — given that the Wild currently hold the 21st and 25th overall selections — there is really no way that this defenseman will end up in Minnesota.

However nice it would be, and certainly a commonality between taking Marco Rossi ninth overall last year, well below where he was expected to be taken, it seems like a steep drop for such a highly regarded prospect.

A Minnesota Relation

Since the Minnesota Wild are essentially built on defensively-responsible blueliners, Hughes’ ability to bring an incredible amount of offensive skill and skating ability only reminds me of one clear former Minnesota defenseman: Brent Burns.

As much as it might pain some to remember Burns and what he could have been on the blue line during the frustrating years of mediocrity, this is an apt comparison. Through his whole career the current San Jose Sharks back has sacrificed defense for offense and has the shot volume and skating ability (maybe not now in his elder years) to come out as a net-positive player.

I might be totally off, since comparisons are weird.

2021 NHL Draft Board