The New Jersey Devils are a team that feels they are a retool away from being legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. They were a postseason team in 2024-25, but injuries and inconsistencies kept them from getting out of the first round.
Over the summer, they will look to make moves that push them over the edge. One transaction that they can attempt to make could come as the result of comments made by another GM earlier in the off-season.
When the Vancouver Canucks had their exit sessions with the media, President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford told the press that Hughes wants to play with his brothers when asked about a possible extension for their captain.
“It may not boil down to money with [Quinn],” Rutherford said. “He said before he wants to play with his brothers. That would be partly out of our control. In our control if we brought his brothers here.”
It sounds like Quinn has made it known that he'd like to suit up alongside Jack and Luke in the NHL one day. With two of them already being in one spot, and the unlikelihood that New Jersey would trade two of their best players, it only makes sense for Quinn to come out east.
Even with the leverage that the Devils have in this scenario, largely due to Rutherford going public with this, it is going to cost a pretty penny to acquire Quinn Hughes in a trade. He is the reigning Norris Trophy winner and is nominated for it again.
To say that Quinn is one of the best defensemen in the National Hockey League would be an understatement. There are only two or three other guys in the same conversation. Luke would like to reach that level, maybe playing with another brother helps him get there.
A Quinn Hughes trade would still cost as much as other superstars despite Devils' leverage
To land such a star, almost nothing should be off the table for Tom Fitzgerald. No matter what happens this summer, he must call Rutherford to chat about this at some point. It is a stone that must not be left unturned.
What would be untouchable for the Devils in this situation? Well, there are only three players that should not be considered as trade bait in this situation, no matter what.
Two of the three are Jack and Luke. What would be the purpose of including them in this deal when the reason it's even being discussed is that they are Quinn's kid brothers? New Jersey is not trading either of them under any circumstances. These are guys you keep with the organization through their entire prime if you can.
The third player is captain Nico Hischier. New Jersey's captain may not be quite as impactful as Quinn Hughes, but he is still an elite player nonetheless.
Most teams may consider making that move, but the Devils can't afford to. Losing Hischier would take away a superstar caliber center to add a defenseman, which is a position of strength for New Jersey. They'd be trading an essential for a luxury.
Quinn Hughes is worthy of consideration for a luxury but not at the price of making the team significantly worse, which would happen if they suddenly had a massive hole in the top-six at center.
Whether it's Timo Meier, Jesper Bratt, Dougie Hamilton, Simon Nemec, or any other prospect/draft pick, anything else could make sense in a trade for Quinn Hughes. As long as one of the three players mentioned above isn't included, this would be a massively successful move for New Jersey.