Many hockey fans have recently asked: is Ellen Hughes related to Jack Hughes? The answer is clear and direct — yes, Ellen Hughes is Jack Hughes’ mother.
In fact, she has played a major role in shaping not only Jack’s career but also the professional journeys of his brothers, Quinn and Luke Hughes.
As Jack and Quinn Hughes continue to shine on the international stage, especially after their historic run at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, interest in their family background has grown.
Here’s everything you need to know about Ellen Hughes and her connection to Jack.
Ellen Hughes Is the Mother of NHL Star Jack Hughes
Jack Hughes is one of the NHL’s brightest stars, and he comes from a deeply athletic family.
His mother, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, raised Jack and his brothers, Quinn Hughes and Luke Hughes, in a household centered around sports, discipline, and competition.
Ellen did not just support her sons from the sidelines. She built an impressive athletic résumé of her own long before her children reached the NHL.
Ellen grew up in Dallas, Texas, where she excelled in both hockey and soccer. As a teenager, she competed with the legendary Dallas Sting Soccer Club.
In 1984, the Sting captured international attention by winning a FIFA-sanctioned women’s world tournament in Xi’an, China — a groundbreaking moment in women’s soccer history.
She continued her multi-sport career at the University of New Hampshire, where she played soccer, lacrosse, and hockey.
Ellen later represented the United States at the 1992 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Finland, earning a silver medal with the national team.
Although she stepped away from professional competition before women’s hockey made its Olympic debut, she never left the sport behind.
While many know Ellen as Jack Hughes’ mother, she also serves as a respected figure in U.S. hockey development.
In 2023, she joined the U.S. women’s national hockey team as a player development consultant.
She helped guide the team to multiple World Championship gold medals and later served on staff during the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
That Olympic experience proved especially meaningful because Ellen and her sons all competed in the same Games.
Jack and Quinn helped power Team USA to its first men’s Olympic hockey gold medal since 1980, with Quinn scoring a dramatic overtime winner in the quarterfinals and Jack netting the decisive goal in the gold medal game.
Jack described the shared Olympic journey as “super special,” expressing pride in his mother’s accomplishments as much as his own.
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