HOCKEY HAS ANOTHER ‘NEXT ONE’ AND HIS NAME IS JACK HUGHES.

“We were down with two minutes to go and he assisted on the tying goal and then he scored the winner and then he came to the bench and tossed his cookies,” said Devine, laughing. “I think that just speaks to Jack’s character. It’s been very tough for him and he’s still gone out there and done the job.”

The stoicism comes from being raised in a pro sports lifestyle. A perk of his father’s previous job — aside from having William Nylander and others temporarily live at the house — was providing the kids with a crystal ball into why certain players make it to the NHL and others flame out. “He was saying the same things to me as the Leafs guys who were drafted,” said Hughes, who already has Auston Matthews’ agent Pat Brisson as an adviser and works with the same trainers used by McDavid.

“Jack has had a very similar development curve as Connor,” said Beyond The Next Level sport performance coach Dan Ninkovich, who worked with McDavid when he was the same age. “What separates them is that they can think the game fast and a few steps in advance. When I play Jack with junior and pro players in the summer, he brings his game up a whole other level.”

As for the pipe dream comparisons or being called the Next One, Hughes laughs them off. It’s nice, he said. But it’s also a bit premature considering he’s two years away from his NHL draft year and not even playing in the OHL. For now, he’s just trying to have fun.

“Sometimes it’s a little overwhelming to me,” he said. “(McDavid’s) the best player in the league or one of them. It’s pretty cool, but it doesn’t really mean anything. It’s just people saying things. I love watching him and trying to emulate him. Hopefully I can be as good as him one day.”