Olympic hero Jack Hughes has new chiclets as NHL dentists get a moment in the spotlight

Jack Hughes, already immortalized for burying the Olympic gold-medal-winning goal in overtime for the United States against Canada, is now flashing a refreshed smile. The forward’s gap-toothed grin—earned when his front teeth were knocked out earlier in that same championship game—became an indelible image of the tournament and a vivid reminder of the physical toll elite hockey demands. With new dental work complete, Hughes’s restored grin spotlights the crucial, often-overlooked role team dentists play from the Olympics to the NHL benches, giving the league’s oral-care specialists an unexpected turn in the spotlight.