Devils’ Jack Hughes taken aback by AJ Mleczko’s ‘weird joke’ about injuries

New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes was taken aback by an ESPN analyst’s off-hand comment about his injury history, calling it a "weird joke."

Hughes, who cut his finger and needed surgery in November 2025, was being interviewed on the ice by A.J. Mleczko in the first intermission of ESPN+’s broadcast of the Devils-Philadelphia Flyers game on Thursday, Oct. 1.

After the U.S. Olympic hero answered some hockey questions, Mleczko said she was glad Hughes was healthy.

"It’s wrap you in bubble wrap and use plastic cutlery this year, that sound good?" she asked.

"I think that’s a weird joke. Big game, but …," Hughes said as he skated away.

Mleczko, a former Olympian, said on camera: "No sense of humor here in a big game, but I appreciate his time and he had a good start here this season."

Welp that was awkward pic.twitter.com/surGRvDYtu

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) October 1, 2026

Jack Hughes injury history

Hughes had started the 2025-26 season coming off shoulder surgery in the previous season and got off to a strong start. But he needed surgery after cutting his finger at a team dinner in Chicago.

He returned in time for the Olympics and scored the overtime goal in the gold-medal game against Canada. He had teeth knocked out by a Canadian high stick earlier in the game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Devils’ Jack Hughes taken aback by AJ Mleczko’s ‘weird joke’ about injuries

Source: sports.yahoo.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.