Jack Hughes Makes Promise About His Teeth After Winning Gold

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Mar 3, 2026 12:04 PM ET

Team USA and New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes left it all on the ice in his game-winning Olympic goal in Italy - including some of his teeth. But he's not planning on living without all of his choppers forever.

Appearing on The Tonight Show, Hughes spoke about his Olympic journey but was also asked if he intends to rock the missing tooth look forever. Hughes quickly laughed off the idea, declaring that the only thing keeping him from fixing his mouth is the time commitment to going to the dentist.

"I can promise you this won't be my thing," Jack said.

The Epic Moment

The men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina was a dramatic, historic showdown between Team USA and Team Canada, two of the sport’s fiercest rivals. After a tightly contested 60 minutes that ended tied 1–1 — with Matt Boldy scoring first for the U.S. and Cale Makar answering for Canada — the game moved into sudden-death 3-on-3 overtime. With goaltender Connor Hellebuyck standing tall with 41 saves to keep the Americans alive under intense pressure, Jack Hughes delivered the decisive moment, scoring 1:41 into overtime on a pass from Zach Werenski to lift the United States to a 2–1 victory and secure the nation’s first Olympic men’s hockey gold medal since the iconic “Miracle on Ice”” in 1980.

The triumph resonated deeply across the hockey world, not only for ending a 46-year gold medal drought but also because NHL players were back in Olympic competition for the first time since 2014, making this one of the strongest fields in recent history. Canada, chasing its 10th Olympic title, was outshot and pressured for much of the game but rallied late and forced overtime, only to see the U.S. finish the tournament unbeaten. The win marked a rare sweep of both men’s and women’s hockey golds for the United States at the same Games and sparked widespread celebration among players, fans, and commentators alike.

Feb 25, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) speaks to media after the game against the Buffalo Sabres at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images© Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images.

Hughes' game-winning gold cements him with one of the greatest moments in the history of Team USA at the Olympics.

It would be pretty fitting if he wound up getting that tooth replaced with a gold one to symbolize what he sacrificed to get the gold medal.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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