Olympian Jack Hughes Jokes He Has ‘Nightmares’ About Losing His Teeth Again (Exclusive)

NHL star Jack Hughes is reflecting on a painful moment from his time at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. During a gold medal game against Canada, the New Jersey Devils forward took a stick to the face, which resulted in several of his teeth being knocked out.

Nearly five months later, while attending the TIME100 Sports Gala in New York City, Hughes admitted that the memory of the injury still haunts him. He jokingly described the incident as nightmare fuel, noting that while dental work has since restored his smile, the possibility of recurring injuries is a constant reality for professional hockey players.

This injury occurred during the third period of the championship game on February 22. Despite the immediate physical trauma, Hughes remained in the game, eventually scoring the winning goal in sudden-death overtime to secure the first gold medal for the United States since 1980.

Following the game, Hughes faced a long road of dental recovery. He kept his sense of humor about the situation during the months that followed, even appearing on television programs with the damage still visible before undergoing the necessary repairs at the dentist. He now spends his off-season focusing on rest, family, and golf, far from the intensity of the ice.