Hockey Hall of Fame Makes Decision on Team USA Game-Winning Puck
Last month, the United States men's national hockey team made history with their thrilling overtime win over Canada at the Olympics. The win secured Team USA's first Olympic gold in men's hockey since the famous "Miracle on Ice" of 1980, and gave the American team the first win in the Olympics' return to best-on-best men's hockey.
New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes was responsible for the game-winning goal in the tournament championship, and he and the rest of the team have received a heroes welcome after returning to finish the NHL season.
JACK HUGHES DELIVERS AMERICA'S GOLDEN MOMENT IN OVERTIME. pic.twitter.com/4foFDOri53
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 22, 2026
Hughes may have cemented his place in American hockey history with his clutch goal, but he isn't a fan of how the moment has been immortalized.
The puck that Hughes scored the gold medal-winning goal with is on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada. Another American golden goal - the puck Megan Keller used to score her own OT winner in the women's final - is also on display in Toronto.
A GOLDEN GOAL FOR GOLD! pic.twitter.com/oLDfElGnI9
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 19, 2026
"I'm trying to get it," Hughes told ESPN about the puck earlier this week. "Like, that's [BS] that the Hockey Hall of Fame has it, in my opinion. Why would they have that puck? I don't see why Megan Keller or I shouldn't have those pucks."
Hughes added that he didn't necessarily want the puck for himself, but more for his father.
"When I look back in time in my career, I don't collect too many things for myself, but my dad's a monster collector for the three of us. I know he would have a special place for it." Hughes' brothers Quinn and Luke are also NHL players themselves, with Quinn joining Jack as a gold medalist in Milan.
Hall of Fame Responds to Hughes' Request
When milestones or important moments are reached in NHL history, players are often able to keep memorabilia for themselves. The Hockey Hall of Fame usually requests that items are donated, but players aren't under any obligation to do so.
For international tournaments like the Olympics, the protocol is different. The Olympic hockey tournaments are jointly produced by the International Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation.
Quinn Hughes: scored overtime GWG in quarterfinals
— ESPN (@espn) February 22, 2026
Jack Hughes: scored overtime GWG in gold medal game
THE HUGHES BROTHERS CAME UP CLUTCH WHEN THEIR TEAM NEEDED THEM MOST ???????? pic.twitter.com/8ntVCSLVeJ
Philip Pritchard, curator for the Hockey Hall of Fame and vice president of its resource center, told ESPN that the IIHF has collected, preserved and authenticated memorabilia from international events since 1998.
"Unfortunately, in the easiest words, it was never Jack's puck to own," Pritchard added. "It's been donated to us now. For every artifact that's been donated, we have a paper trail and signed paperwork of where it's come from."
'The Game of the Past, Present and the Future'
In cases of milestone goals like the one Hughes scored, the puck is retrieved and authenticated before being given to the IIHF. The organization then formally donates the puck to the Hockey Hall of Fame to keep permanently.
Pritchard added that there have been similar cases of players or their families asking for artifacts, but that they try to take a neutral approach in these situations.
"We try to take the emotion out of it. We're here to preserve a game that Jack's lucky enough to play or we're lucky enough to work in," he said. "That's why the Hockey Hall of Fame museum exists as an institution: We're preserving the game of the past, present and the future."
If Hughes or any other hockey fans want to see the gold-medal winning puck, they'll need to take a trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.