The New Jersey Devils and Quinn Hughes were a perfect match. The Devils needed more offensive firepower, and the eldest Hughes brother might be the best offensive defenseman in hockey. He can help the forwards drive offenses forward. His dominance on the back end would get the Devils out of the defensive zone more, masking their issues in net, and he would immediately solve the power play challenges they’ve faced.Â
Instead, Hughes is playing in Minnesota, preparing for the Dallas Stars in the first round of the playoffs. Meanwhile, Tom Fitzgerald is looking for his next job. Sunny Mehta was just hired by the Devils, and they're trying to figure out their path to the playoffs in 2027.
One might assume that Quinn Hughes would be a key addition to the path forward. Turns out, that might have been the original plan.
Hughes was traded midseason because the Vancouver Canucks season went bad in a whole different way. They were the worst team in the league for most of the year, even when they did have Hughes on the roster. Most expected Fitzgerald to make the move in December when it was available.Â
When Bill Guerin made the move, it came off as the Devils dropped the ball. And Canucks president Jim Rutherford expected it to be the Devils, just like everyone else.Â
"He wanted to go back to the U.S.," Rutherford continued. "I'm close to (Quinn), I really like him and I respect what he did in Vancouver. Guys work toward free agency and we should respect the fact that he had that option and that he was going to exercise that option."
— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) April 17, 2026
Some might remember Rutherford talking too much at last year's end-of-the-year press conference, when he alluded to Hughes wanting to play with his brothers, Jack and Luke Hughes. Then, to save himself, he mentioned he could target the Devils' star duo. Somehow, that didn't amount to tampering.
Rutherford still hasn't learned his lesson, because despite admitting that Hughes wanted out before the season started, he admitted to giving Brock Boeser and Thatcher Demko big contracts in a last-ditch effort to get him to stay. Now, the rebuilding Canucks are stuck with contract anchors that may only act as a mechanism to get to the salary cap floor.
Fast forward to today, and both the Devils and Canucks are out of the playoffs. Quinn Hughes is trying to win a Stanley Cup in Minnesota. New Jersey failed to get the prize, but now there's a new man in change.
So much can still happen between now and the beginning of next season. Can Mehta come in and get the Hughes trio together? It all depends on how things end in Minnesota.
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