We’ve heard everything when it comes to the Quinn Hughes drama in Vancouver. Ever since the Canucks let the whole league know they were open for business, the number-one storyline around the league has been the status of the former Norris Trophy winner.
Every insider has been discussing the Devils ties to the Canucks, but they’ve also been working overtime to try and connect the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers to the trade. We’ve heard a lot about how the Devils don’t have the right center to give to the Canucks in a trade, but they might be interested in the Red Wings Marco Kasper.
We’ve also heard about the Devils salary cap issues and the fact the Hughes brothers vacation in Michigan in the summers. On top of that, the ties between Hughes and Flyers head coach Rick Tochett have prevailed as a storyline. It feels almost forced how much insiders are saying that other teams are in this besides the Devils.
Yet, there are a few underlying issues that still make the Devils the favorites in this deal. The most obvious is the Hughes brothers playing together. They said they wanted to play together this offseason, so those saying they aren’t sure Quinn Hughes would want to “take time away” from Luke Hughes is preposterous.
We also know that Quinn Hughes called Tom Fitzgerald “Fitzy,” which was turned into a big deal this week. There have been reports that “Fitzy” made a call to Vancouver to see what a framework for a Hughes deal would look like.
This has been discussed since we’re all blue in the face, but there are a few important facts that are falling under the radar. Most of them give the Devils the advantage in trade talks, but others could push Hughes elsewhere.
1. Jim Rutherford's Job Status
Nobody is talking about how Jim Rutherford, and his GM Patrik Allvin, are fighting for their jobs. They hired Adam Foote to be their head coach despite it being a very important season and him coming in with very little experience. They went into the season with terrible center depth. They gave big money and long contracts to Brock Boeser and Connor Garland while also trading for Evander Kane.
Ironically, this might be a connect of three GMs with the hottest seats in the league. Allvin, Steve Yzerman in Detroit, and Tom Fitzgerald in New Jersey all needed to have great seasons. They have/had incredible cores that haven’t won anything. All should be further along in their building process, but it hasn’t worked out as planned.
If Rutherford and Allvin let this drag out into the offseason, they won’t be trading Hughes at all. That’s not because Hughes has decided to re-sign in Vancouver. It’s because they are both looking for new employment.
The Canucks have been a mess for two years now. It’s time to move the Canucks into their next era. Similar to an NFL GM saving his job by drafting the young QB, the best way to save jobs in Vancouver is to maximize Quinn Hughes today.
2. Nobody is talking about Toronto
Everyone has mentioned Detroit, Philadelphia, and New Jersey as likely Quinn Hughes destinations, but there are 31 teams in the league who would love Quinn Hughes. There are a few asset-rich teams who would even consider a massive move in the hopes of going for a Stanley Cup over the next two years.
One team in a desperate position who could desperately use a player like Quinn Hughes is the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs are ironically in a similar position as the Devils. They have 32 points, while the Devils have 33. Both are still expected to make the playoffs, but they have an uphill battle.
If the Leafs miss the playoffs this season with their star-studded roster, everyone is getting fired. The head coach, GM, President, ticket takers, concession stand attendant, security officer, and half of the players. There’s a lot on the line for Toronto.
Quinn Hughes spent his formative years in Toronto as his father worked for the organization. It’s actually closer to Michigan than New Jersey is. Would the Maple Leafs send someone like Matthew Knies to Vancouver to make a run at the playoffs? Would Quinn Hughes make Toronto a Cup contender? It should be considered more.
3. Does Quinn Hughes care about being captain?
The New Jersey Devils have a captain whom they love. Nico Hischier is beloved in the locker room, as the players have said they appreciate his leadership in good times and bad. Any speculation about his status as captain is insane.
However, many have said how much pride Quinn Hughes takes in being the captain of the Canucks. He said as much when he was named captain in 2023, explaining how important it was to be named captain north of the border, via NHL.com.
"It means a great deal to me, especially being in a Canadian market. When I moved here five years ago (as of 2023) and started playing for the Canucks, I knew right away what a hockey market it is and how important hockey is to the city and the market and the people in Vancouver. So to now be the captain, it's an incredible honor, something that I never even dreamed of."Quinn Hughes, Canucks captain
Both the Devils and Red Wings have established captains on the roster. The Flyers have Sean Couturier signed through 2030. It will be hard to become a captain again unless someone allows him to take it. Would Hischier be willing to do it?