I think Hughes is overrated. I just don't see the obvious high-end calling card that is quantifiable towards winning. What part of his game can you point to and say thats going to make him a 1D?
The skating is great, but what else is so great? Is he great defensively? No, likely won't even be a good defensive player in the NHL. I doubt he'll even be a regular PK'er in the NHL. Is he a player who is likely to score 50 points every season? I don't think so either. I know the "puck-moving defenseman" is a popular skill-set in the NHL, and a guy who skates like Hughes, will carry the puck from zone to zone like Hughes, will contribute to the transition games like Hughes, is a valuable player, but is he a shutdown defenseman? No. Is he an elite PP QB? There's a chance, but I'd still say no. Is his game so well rounded that he can be in the top 1/6th of every category without being top 10 or so in any category? Not in my opinion.
He reminds me of Torey Krug. Slightly undersized, very good skater, well-above average offensively, borderline elite, but doesn't quite have the elite offensive skills. And the defense is somewhat problematic for a top 4D. I don't think it'll be a disaster, but I don't think its to a level where I think it'll ever be more than average. I see his ceiling as more of a 2/3D. I don't see 1D potential like I think players like Dahlin, Boqvist, Dobson, Wilde have. To me, he's more in the 10-15 range, and I hope the Rangers don't pick him. I don't think it would be a disastrous pick because I think he'll be a good NHL'er, but for all the flash, I don't see the elite ceiling in his game. If one Hughes was going to be picked for the World Championship team, I would've picked his brother Jack.