Jack Hughes Adds Another Media Stop with Pat McAfee Appearance Featuring Megan Keller Following Backlash

Jack Hughes, 24, scored the golden goal in overtime against their neighbors Canada to win the gold medal match at the Olympics.

Jack Hughes Adds Another Media Stop with Pat McAfee Appearance Featuring Megan Keller Following Backlash

Jack Hughes, Megan Keller, Pat McAfee (Images via Getty Images/CBS News/The Hollywood Reporter)

In Short
  • Jack Hughes faced backlash for his political views and comments following his Olympic success.
  • He appeared on Pat McAfee's show to address the controversy alongside Megan Keller.
  • The New Jersey Devils are struggling with five consecutive losses after the Olympic break.

The New Jersey Devils alternate captain, Jack Hughes, had one of the most iconic storylines at the Milano Cortina 2026, scoring the golden goal to win his country’s first gold medal in hockey after a 46-year wait. Hughes’ positive goodwill was short-lived, his on-ice achievements eclipsed by the collective boys locker room behavior to a misogynistic joke by Donald Trump.

Hughes, who leans towards the right wing, has been at the receiving end of political backlash, the noise amplified by his support for the business mogul. The 79-year-old president has increasingly become unpopular among the masses, including a faction of his own party.

Meanwhile, Hughes has added one more pitstop to his media presence with an appearance on Pat McAfee’s show.

Hughes, appearing on the show, addressed the backlash while being joined by the Boston Fleet defender Megan Keller. The Devils center said that he hugged and celebrated with Keller, who scripted her own history with the golden goal, after their win.

I just gave her a massive hug, and I said, ‘I’m so happy for you. You wouldn’t believe me and Quinn’s reaction, we were so pumped for you.

He also said that he and Keller took a picture together after their win. When Keller joined them in a call, McAfee asked the defender whether they hated the men’s team. She said:

No, we don’t hate the men’s team. After they won, all of us sat in the caf until 4 a.m. until our buses were leaving, chopping it up, with our medals hanging out. You can’t write that up any better. We were teams of destiny.

Hughes also struck a shot for a $100,000 donation for a charity during the event.

The conversation around hockey has shifted significantly in the past few months. Crave’s Heated Rivalry brought much-needed attention to the sport just ahead of the Olympics. The hockey tournament throughout the past two weeks garnered significant attention, with the gold medal matches being show stoppers. However, the conversation has shifted significantly following Trump’s call.

Jack Hughes and the Devils suffer back-to-back defeats in post-Olympic return

The New Jersey Devils are inching towards a playoff miss after suffering back-to-back losses against the Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins following their Olympic stretch.

Evgeni Malkin (Image via NBC News)
Evgeni Malkin (Image via NBC News)

The Sabres trounced the Devils 2-1 in the first game back. Peyton Krebs and Tage Thompson scored for the Sabres, while Timo Meier scored the sole goal for the hosts. Ahead of the game, Hughes was welcomed into the rink, where he also invited Thompson to join him in the spotlight.

The Penguins’ hot streak showed no signs of cooling down. Behind 28 stops from Arturs Silovs and a four-goal outburst from the supporting cast, Pittsburgh extended its impressive 9-1-3 run dating back to January 13. In the first game without Sidney Crosby, Tommy Novak, Connor Clifton, Egor Chinakhov, and Blake Lizotte scored for the Penguins.

Evgeni Malkin recorded two assists, reaching 1,392 career points (527 goals, 865 assists), surpassing Brett Hull in the all-time points list for the 25th spot. Paul Cotter scored the sole goal for the New Jersey Devils.

The Devils have now lost five games in a row, their last victory being the overtime win against the Nashville Predators in January. Ahead of the Olympics, the Devils suffered major defeats at the hands of the Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, and the New York Islanders. The New Jersey Devils are scheduled to play the St. Louis Blues tomorrow.

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