Even though 2025 was basically the year of celebrity breakups, one surprisingly cute couple actually came out of it.
Tate McRae seems to have moved on from her ex The Kid LAROI (after publicly dissing him in her lyrics) and is now linked to NHL star Jack Hughes.
Yes, that Jack Hughes. The same guy who scored the gold-winning goal at the 2026 Olympics and literally lost his two front teeth doing it (more about him below).
Hockey is brutal, apparently, and Tate is officially in her Heated Rivalry era (well, kinda—you get the gist).
If you just found out about this possible pop star–hockey player crossover, don’t worry. Their relationship is still pretty new. But here’s the full timeline of how it all went down so far.
Tate McRae and Jack Hughes’ Love Story So Far
You can jump to the latest Tate McRae and Jack Hughes update here.
November 22, 2025
This is where the rumors officially begin.
Tate and Jack are spotted having what definitely looks like a cozy dinner date at Anton’s in New York City, and DeuxMoi gets exclusive photos of the outing.
According to a source, “the entire restaurant was staring” at them, and Jack “seemed nervous, like was looking around a lot when they first sat down.” First date jitters? We’ve all been there.
December 22, 2025
Exactly one month after that first sighting, Tate pops up at a New Jersey Devils game, watching Jack play. Subtle? Not exactly.
Around the same time, Jack’s brother also likes one of Tate’s Instagram posts, which immediately sends all Tater Tots into detective mode.
Then, just one day later, Tate and Jack are spotted walking around NYC together. At this point, fans are pretty convinced something is going on.
January 16, 2026
The rumored couple makes another appearance—this time at a birthday celebration for one of Jack’s teammates in Hoboken.
Still no official confirmation, but they’re definitely spending time together.
February 25, 2026
And now things start sounding a little more serious. Entertainment Tonight reports that Tate McRae and Jack Hughes are indeed dating.
Sources say they’re “having fun,” and things between them are “still new.” “They have a lot of the same friends and started hanging out that way. He has gone to her shows, and she likes supporting him at games too. She’s not looking for something super serious, but he really likes her.”
Then a source also tells DeuxMoi that Jack and Tate are “officially dating.” So… according to the rumor mill, it’s official.
March 4, 2026
Another insider jumps into the chat, this time speaking to Us Weekly. The source says “Tate and Jack are dating” and adds that “they started casually seeing each other late last year, so it’s still new, but they are exclusively seeing each other.”
And wait for it, Pop Tellers…Apparently their first connection happened online. Yep, Jack slipped into Tate’s DMs. He “initially messaged her on IG and started a conversation,” according to the insider.
And it seems like things have been going well ever since.
The source says, “She thinks he is a really cool guy and they have been having a lot of fun together. She has been so supportive of his career and has been loving going to the games and cheering him on.”
As for what’s next?
The insider adds: “They are making it work during this busy season, but hope to have more time together next month when his season ends. Tate thinks he’s really sweet and it’s going well so far.”
Who is Jack Hughes, Anyway?
If you’re not deep in hockey TikTok, here’s the quick rundown. Jack Hughes is an NHL star who plays center for the New Jersey Devils and was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. He’s basically one of the league’s biggest young talents—and yes, he also comes from a very hockey family, with brothers Quinn Hughes and Luke Hughes both playing in the NHL too.
So yeah, Tate didn’t just end up with a random hockey player, she’s dating one of the sport’s biggest rising stars.
Neither Tate nor Jack has confirmed anything publicly. But if anything new drops, Pop Tales will absolutely be watching.
Stay tuned.
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