Women Pick Favorite Hughes Brother to Kiss at Olympics Watch Party

Hockey influencer Nikki Anderson set up a contest for female fans to choose which Team USA player they'd smooch to wish them luck.

Feb. 21, 2026 at 4:40pm

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A hockey influencer named Nikki Anderson hosted an Olympics watch party in Newport Beach, California, where she set up large cutouts of the heads of three Team USA hockey players - brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes, and Noah Hanifin. She then asked female patrons to 'plant a cutout of a kiss' on their favorite, and Jack Hughes ended up winning in a landslide, with even some men voting for him. Anderson said the contest was a hit on social media, with many women clearly having a favorite Hughes brother, though a few said they were fans of both.

Why it matters

The lighthearted contest highlights the growing popularity of hockey among women, as well as the rising fame of young stars like the Hughes brothers. It also touches on the speculation around Jack Hughes' relationship status, as he has been spotted with Canadian pop star Tate McRae but neither has confirmed they are dating.

The details

At the watch party at Helmsman Ale House, Anderson printed out large photos of the heads of Jack Hughes, Quinn Hughes, and Noah Hanifin, and asked female patrons to 'plant a cutout of a kiss' on their favorite. Jack Hughes ended up winning in a 'landslide,' with even some men voting for him. Anderson said the contest was a hit on social media, with 380,000 views on Instagram, and many women clearly having a favorite Hughes brother, though a few said they were fans of both.

  • The watch party took place on February 21, 2026, during the Olympics.
  • Team USA defeated Slovakia in their recent Olympic game, giving them a chance at the gold medal.

The players

Nikki Anderson

A hockey influencer who hosted the Olympics watch party and set up the contest for women to choose their favorite Team USA hockey player to kiss.

Jack Hughes

A center for the New Jersey Devils who was the clear winner of the kiss contest, with many women and even some men voting for him.

Quinn Hughes

Jack Hughes' brother, who also plays for Team USA hockey, and was one of the three player options in the kiss contest.

Noah Hanifin

A Team USA hockey player who was one of the three player options in the kiss contest, along with the Hughes brothers.

Tate McRae

A Canadian pop star who has been spotted spending time with Jack Hughes, though neither has confirmed they are dating.

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What they’re saying

“Jack walked away with the most. It was a landside for sure. We even had guys who were like, 'Oh yeah, Jack's my man. I'll put a kiss on him.'”

— Nikki Anderson, Hockey Influencer

“There's photos of them, like hanging out together, walking around, having coffee and stuff. But neither of their teams has come out to say that they're officially dating. So technically he's single.”

— Nikki Anderson, Hockey Influencer

“While a lot of people are saying, Jack, you've got those people that are total Quinn fans. It's just really funny to see. Very few people have been like, 'No, they're both amazing.' Everybody has a clear side, which I think is really interesting.”

— Nikki Anderson, Hockey Influencer

What’s next

The US Men's Olympic hockey team will take on Canada in the gold medal game on Sunday.

The takeaway

This lighthearted contest highlights the growing popularity of hockey among women, as well as the rising fame of young stars like the Hughes brothers. It also touches on the speculation around Jack Hughes' relationship status, showing that even with his potential romantic connections, many female fans still see him as an eligible bachelor.