Michigan defenseman Luke Hughes is ready for the NHL right now

College hockey coaches are always walking a fine line during news conferences. Especially during the postseason, when there is a strong chance they are willing to speak in generalities, afraid of saying too much.

Unless they are being asked about Michigan sophomore defenseman Luke Hughes.

«Honestly? He probably doesn't need to be in college this year,» Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold said. «He could already be in the NHL. I'm glad he did play because I had him as my captain for the World Juniors. As good a player as he is, I think he's a better person. He's a phenomenal athlete, a phenomenal person and he's got that elusiveness you can't teach. You can't teach what he does. „

Yes, a college coach said this. Scratch that. A college coach said this about an opposing player more than a week before the Frozen Four in a sport in which there are some coaches who will only answer questions about their own players.

People have thoughts on Hughes, whom the New Jersey Devils drafted fourth overall in 2021, with the general consensus being he's really good at hockey.

This is why the comparisons exist. Could he be the next Zach Werenski? The next Charlie McAvoy? The next Cale Makar or even the next Quinn Hughes?

Maybe the more appropriate question: Who's to say Hughes is not there already?

“I think he's in that class of player for sure,» Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. «Those names that are mentioned — now, where will he end up? We don't know. But we believe we have a very high caliber player. When you look at the history of these types of players, two years did not hurt Quinn. It didn't hurt Werenski or McAvoy. It did not hurt to go back for your sophomore year and continue the growth of your game.»

Hughes will sign with