Hugh McGing Bio
Hugh McGing (born July 11, 1998) is an American professional ice hockey center who is currently playing with the Springfield Thunderbirds in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). A product of the Chicago-area youth hockey system, McGing rose through junior and college ranks before being selected 138th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. At Western Michigan University, he became team captain and a First Team All-American before beginning his professional career in 2021.
Early Life and Background
Hugh McGing was born on July 11, 1998, in Chicago, Illinois, to parents James and Breda McGing. He grew up in Edison Park, a neighborhood on Chicago’s northwest side, alongside his two older brothers, Liam and James, both of whom played hockey. That family connection to the sport helped shape his early interest in the game and introduced him to organized competition at a young age.
McGing began his minor ice hockey career with the Niles Rangers before moving into travel hockey with the Park Ridge Northern Express. He later advanced to AAA-level competition, suiting up for Team Illinois, the Chicago Young Americans, and the Chicago Mission at the 14U and 16U levels in the High Performance Hockey League. In 2014, his development was rewarded when he signed a United States Hockey League (USHL) pre-draft tender with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, a deal that required Cedar Rapids to part with their first-round draft pick to acquire him.
Path to Hockey
During his second season with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, McGing signed a National Letter of Intent to play with the Western Michigan Broncos beginning in the 2016–17 season. He joined the Broncos as the youngest player on the roster, listed at 5 feet 9 inches and 155 pounds, and made his collegiate debut on October 5, 2016, against the Ferris State Bulldogs. He recorded his first collegiate goal against the Miami RedHawks and added an assist in a 2017 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament loss to the Air Force Falcons. Off the ice, his academics stood out as well, as he was named to the NCHC Scholar-Athlete Team in July 2017 for maintaining a GPA of 3.50 or higher, and he later attended the New York Islanders Development Camp.
Hugh McGing Career
Early Career (2016–2018)
McGing’s first two seasons with the Western Michigan Broncos established him as a steady, productive forward in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. As a sophomore, he set a career high with 30 points in 36 games, highlighted by a three-game point streak in which he tallied seven points against Michigan State and the Denver Pioneers. He was named to the preliminary roster for the United States men’s national junior ice hockey team ahead of the 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was co-recipient of the Rob Hodge Most Valuable Player Award with teammate Dawson DiPietro. He also earned NCHC All-Academic and Distinguished Scholar-Athlete recognition with a 3.71 GPA.
Western Michigan Breakthrough (2018–2020)
The summer before his junior year, McGing was drafted 138th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and was invited to the Blues’ Prospect Camp. He played all 37 games that season, finishing with 11 goals and 20 points, and was named to the Second Team All-NCHC. On May 2, 2019, he was recognized as an NCAA Statistical Champion for short-handed goals after tying for the national lead with three short-handed tallies.
McGing’s senior campaign, shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, became his most decorated. He was named to the 2019-20 NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team, was appointed team captain, and led the Broncos with 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points, including his first collegiate hat-trick in an 8-4 win over Miami. In January 2020, he was named one of 20 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award. On March 20, 2020, he concluded his college career with 117 points in 146 regular-season games and signed a two-year, two-way entry-level contract with the St. Louis Blues. He finished as a First Team All-American, the first Western Michigan player since defenseman Wayne Gagné in 1987 to earn that distinction.
Springfield Thunderbirds Era (2021–Present)
After attending Blues training camp, McGing was assigned to the Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, for the 2020-21 season. On February 17, 2021, he recorded his first professional point in a 5-2 win over the Syracuse Crunch, marking his arrival at the pro level. He has since continued his development in the Blues’ system, and he is currently a member of the Springfield Thunderbirds, the organization’s AHL affiliate, where he remains a prospect to the parent St. Louis Blues roster.
Driving Style and Strengths
At 5 feet 9 inches and 174 pounds, McGing has built his game on speed, hockey sense, and responsibility at both ends of the ice, and he has been used in penalty-kill and short-handed situations throughout his career. His skill set has translated well to the professional level, where quickness and detail-oriented two-way play are central to his identity as a forward prospect.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among McGing’s signature achievements are his 2018 NHL Draft selection by the St. Louis Blues, his first collegiate hat-trick against Miami, and his First Team All-American selection in 2020, a distinction that had not been earned by a Western Michigan player in more than three decades. His first professional point on February 17, 2021, also stands as a key early milestone in his AHL career.
Hugh McGing Career Wins
Hugh McGing’s verified on-ice accomplishments span four seasons at Western Michigan and the early stages of his professional career in the St. Louis Blues organization, with both individual awards and team success highlighting his résumé.
Western Michigan Highlights
Across 146 regular-season games with the Western Michigan Broncos, McGing totaled 117 points, and he served as team captain during his senior season. He set a career high of 30 points as a sophomore and matched a program landmark by becoming a First Team All-American in 2020. He also helped the Broncos qualify for the 2017 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament.
Other Wins and Performances
At the junior level, McGing was part of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and represented the United States at the preliminary stage of the 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He was a co-recipient of the Rob Hodge Most Valuable Player Award at Western Michigan and earned multiple NCHC academic honors during his college career.
Hugh McGing Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Hugh McGing is the son of James and Breda McGing and grew up alongside two older brothers, Liam and James, both of whom also played hockey. The family raised Hugh in Chicago’s Edison Park neighborhood, where his brothers’ involvement in the sport helped spark his own hockey journey from a young age.
Personal Life
McGing is American by nationality and is based in the United States as he continues his professional career in the St. Louis Blues organization. Public details about a spouse, partner, or children are not confirmed in available sources.
2025 Season Performance
Hugh McGing entered the 2025 calendar year as a center in the St. Louis Blues system, skating for the Springfield Thunderbirds in the AHL and working to position himself for an NHL opportunity. As a continuing prospect on a two-way deal, his focus remains on sharpening his two-way game, providing reliable penalty killing, and contributing offensively in a depth role for the Thunderbirds.
Within the Blues’ developmental pipeline, McGing is regarded as a steady, character-driven forward whose college résumé and professional start have kept him firmly in the organization’s long-term plans. The 2025 season is an important stretch for showcasing the consistency that has defined his career, with hopes of earning his first NHL recall in the near future.
With his AHL experience growing and his first professional point now behind him, McGing’s outlook is built on patience, daily improvement, and the chance to translate his skill set into a sustained role at hockey’s highest level.