Hughes, Zegras ready to trade laughs, highlights when Devils host Ducks

NEWARK, N.J. -- Electrifying plays, dynamic dangles and maybe even "The Michigan" or a crazy goal celebration can be expected when New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes and Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras play against each other for the first time in the NHL at Prudential Center on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; MSG+, BSSC, BSSD, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).

Hughes and Zegras, former teammates with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (2017-19) and longtime friends, are looking forward to the matchup and at a chance to gain the upper hand in their personal rivalry.
"It's going to be hilarious playing against 'Z,'" Hughes said. "I think for the first few shifts I'll be laughing with him and then we'll be kind of dialed in and get serious about winning the game.
"I can't predict what'll happen because every game has its own story."
Hughes missed a 4-0 loss at Anaheim on Nov. 2 because of a dislocated shoulder; Zegras did not score a point.
"They're going to be trading blows, and I don't mean the old school titans of trading right hooks," said Kevin Lind, an NTDP assistant coach when Hughes and Zegras were with the program. "It's going to be trading dangles and skill plays. I think they're going to have fun and I feel that when they look back on their careers, this will be a special moment for sure."
A record eight players from the NTDP Under-18 team in 2018-19 were selected in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft. Hughes went No. 1 and Zegras went No. 9.
"I grew up playing against Hughes]," Zegras said in February. "In the summertime we'd play each other all the time. I kind of lived with him in Michigan for two years [at the NTDP
for a goal against the Buffalo Sabres on Dec 7 is one of the most memorable highlights of the season.
Zegras scored a Michigan-style goal
against the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 27.
"I think that Jack has a little bit more of classic creativity where he'll circle the zone twice and then cut to the middle and go top shelf," Lind said. "Trevor's like Dwayne Robertson from 'The Mighty Ducks,' where he'll do a backhand spin-o-rama, try 'The Michigan,' and that'll work a couple times out of 10. Jack will possess the puck and wait for his spot."
Zegras joined Hughes at the adidas NHL Breakaway Challenge at the 2022 NHL All-Star Skills, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Feb. 4. He dressed as Peter La Fleur, Vince Vaughn's character from the 2004 movie comedy "Dodgeball," and wore a white blindfold as the fictional La Fleur does near the end of the movie.
As NHL mascots threw dodgeballs at Zegras, he lifted the puck on his stick with the blade side down, did a 360-degree spin and reversed back to launch the puck into the net on a line drive.

"I don't know if [Zegras] understands how much change he's actually bringing into the sport," McCarthy said. "I think it's great for the game, the amount of skill he brings and influencing the young kids. You see the 'Michigan' pass that the kids are now trying. It's really cool he has that kind of impact right away. I think that's just kind of his personality. He's just going to float around and going to have fun with life."
Hughes also had a trick up his sleeve at the Breakaway Challenge, capped by a smaller version of himself -- Brekken Scoppetto, the 10-year-old son of Devils equipment manager Chris Scoppetto -- scoring and the pair performing identical stick tosses.
"[Hughes] has been doing it for a little bit [in the NHL], but obviously there was a lot of pressure on him at the start," McCarthy said. "But it's good to see him kind of stepping up. He's even worn a letter [as assistant captain], which kind of shows his leadership ability. It's just cool to see Z and Hughesy each being such an influence as young guys in the League."
Hughes was the youngest player to participate in the 2022 Honda NHL All-Star Game. Zegras did not play in the game.

Hughes said he and Zegras went to dinner together Friday night.
"It's pretty close to home for him (Zegras was born in Bedford, New York)," Hughes said. "I think, outside of just playing me, it'll be fun because he'll have a bunch of friends and family at the game. It should be fun for him to come back to the East Coast."
McCarthy offered this prediction.
"I think the Devils are going to pull it out," he said. "I couldn't predict who's going to get the upper hand, but I'm just more excited to see the highlights afterwards. I'm sure they're both going to do something pretty special and it's just going to be all over ESPN 'SportsCenter' and NHL Network.
"Maybe we'll see a good [celebration]. Maybe they'll try to top each other's celly's."