"I saw people who never knew each other [before] meet at the event and develop strong relationships. A lot of people came just to watch and be part of that community. That's when I knew this was special."
Jack Hughes's overtime goal to win Olympic gold is hockey history, maybe the single most important physical object in American hockey history. The Hughes puck is a pure distillation, the sudden-death difference between defeat and world-champ status in one small, black disc of vulcanized rubber and entrance-fee bait.
The revamped NY Islanders prospect pool continues to succeed in their respective 2025-26 campaigns, receiving accolades throughout the season. But this time, it's not one of their high draft picks; instead, a sixth-round defenseman playing in the NCAA. Freshman defenseman Xavier Veilleux of Cornell University was named ECAC Defenseman of the Month for January. The 19-year-old left-hand shot provided three goals and eight assists across 10 contests for the No. 9 Big Red.
