Quinn Hughes, Canucks Reportedly Finalizing 6-Year, $47M Contract

Quinn Hughes and the Vancouver Canucks have reportedly agreed to a six-year contract that will pay the defenseman "slightly above $7.75 million" per season, according to Satiar Shah of Sportsnet. 

That follows a report from Thomas Drance of The Athletic that Hughes and the Canucks were making progress in contract negotiations:

Hughes, 21, appeared in 56 games for the Canucks in the 2020-21 season, posting three goals and 38 assists while averaging 22 minutes and 48 minutes of average ice time. He was minus-24 for the year. 

His eight goals and 45 assists in the 2019-20 season made it clear Hughes was going to be a franchise cornerstone for Vancouver going forward, even if he appeared to take a slight step backwards this past year. 

Nonetheless, the long-term plan in Vancouver should be to build around Hughes and 22-year-old center Elias Pettersson, also negotiating his second contract with the team. Pettersson, the 2018-19 Calder Trophy winner, has posted 65 goals and 88 assists in 165 career games, nearly a point per contest. 

Getting these deals done would be a nice positive for a Canucks team in a state of flux. It's unclear if Travis Hamonic will play this season. Brock Boeser, Tyler Motte and Brandon Sutter are injured. Add in Hughes and Pettersson being away from the team, and the Canucks have entered the preseason with a depleted roster. 

"I'm pretty off the grid social-media wise, so you guys will probably know before me," Canucks winger J.T. Miller said of Hughes and Pettersson's negotiations. "We're getting closer and closer (to the season) and I'm sure that the anticipation and pressure for them is... through the roof. I'm staying out it; they don't need my help. I think they all know that we want them here and need them. But this is a big part of their future, a big part of their lives, and big decisions are being made."