Pros and Cons of a Quinn Hughes to the Devils Trade
The idea of Canucks captain Quinn Hughes one day ending up a Devil has been floating around since 2023-24, when his youngest brother, Luke, joined his middle brother, Jack, in New Jersey.
It started out more of a "wouldn't that be cute" pipe dream -- maybe all three brothers would play for the same team at some point in their promising careers, but likely not anytime soon. Jack and Quinn were busy leading two very different but very competitive playoff teams, and Luke had just arrived in the NHL.
Two seasons later, and Quinn to the Devils has become much more realistic than some cute pipe dream. The Canucks have struggled through on- and off-ice turmoil since that 2023-24 playoff run, the Devils have been perpetually ravaged by injury, and these front offices have been talking.
Over the weekend, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that the Devils and Canucks have "touched base" about Quinn.
"I do not believe there is anything imminent. I don't even know that they're anywhere far along," Friedman said. "But I do believe that a conversation was had about where things stand and where they might be going."
So it looks like we're still a bit away from an actual deal, but Quinn's deal is up at the end of next season, and there's a significant (and understandable) chance he might not want to re-sign with the Canucks. If this is the case, there's also a significant chance Quinn could join his brothers on the Devils as early as this upcoming trade deadline.
Before talks really heat up, let's take a look at the pros and cons of Quinn Hughes to the Devils.
Pro for the Devils: It's Quinn Freakin' Hughes
1 of 6
Completing the Hughes brothers' hat trick aside, Quinn is a top-two defenseman in the NHL right now -- and he has consistently gone head-to-head with Cale Makar for the No. 1 spot for years.
It's difficult to point to a real-time statistic to show the impact Quinn has on a team's complexion, given how inconsistent the Canucks have been this season. His -7 rating is the result of him averaging over 27 minutes (!) per game on such an overall defensively weak team, but the team's Corsi with him on and off the ice at even strength helps paint the picture. According to NaturalStatTrick.com, the Canucks have a 47.00 CF% without Quinn on the ice and a 52.41 CF% with Quinn on the ice. Most other meaningful underlying metrics show Quinn moving the needle for the Canucks, shifting battles like these from the losing end to the winning end.
Beyond this season, Quinn has hovered around at least a point per game in each of his NHL seasons, with a career high 92 points and 38 rating in 82 games last season, despite the Canucks missing the playoffs. He'd always been touted for his puck-moving and offensive skills, but his play away from the puck has only improved since entering the league.
Any team with the opportunity to acquire him would be foolish to pass him up, familial ties aside.
Con for the Canucks: It's Quinn freakin' Hughes
2 of 6
On one hand, NHL teams cannot dwell on the past or any missteps for too long -- the show must go on, and sometimes you have to take a metaphorical hit to make a play.
On the other hand, trading away J.T. Miller was supposed to be Vancouver taking a hit to make a play, and surrendering the best player on the team, due in part to the incompetencies of several generations of Canucks front offices, is difficult to stomach.
I put it simply in a column last month about the developing situation: No matter how I try to spin it, no matter how I'm trying to see the "greater good" of the situation, I simply cannot get over it: What do you mean I have to sit here and write about how the Canucks are probably going to trade Quinn Hughes?
With the Miller situation, you could feel better about the fact that the Canucks were trading away a key player for a reason: There was off-ice drama, and although we knew this wouldn't make the team improve immediately on paper, we thought the drama's resolution could provide repair that would lead to longer-term success.
If the Canucks trade Quinn, they're admitting the reason they're trading him is that not only is the team fundamentally broken, but trading Miller away to alleviate drama didn't fix it. The Canucks had the leverage in the Miller situation -- they made the decision and had their reasons. Trading Quinn is admitting powerlessness and giving up, which is honestly a valid assessment at this point. But still. It's Quinn freakin' Hughes.
Trading Quinn genuinely might be the twist in the story that finally sends the Canucks on a consistent, winning path -- it would move the needle more than anything else the front office could do. Still, it's pretty ridiculous that we've landed here in the first place, where a team has made poor decision after poor decision while its generational defenseman of a captain has done everything to win and has finally had enough.
Pro: It's Great for the NHL and the League
3 of 6The Hughes brothers are three of the most popular NHL players across the league and among younger fans. Just imagine what the three of them playing on the same team could do from a marketing and entertainment aspect.
We'd get even more insight into their personality quirks and off-ice happenings -- maybe they'd even start a podcast to rival the Tkachuk brothers'. We'd get the combination of Jack's deadpan interviews and Quinn's deadpan demeanor on the bench. Maybe we'd even get more appearances from Ellen Hughes, mother and Team USA Silver medalist.
The last time three brothers emerged in New Jersey, we got noted Devils fans, The Jonas Brothers.
The possibilities are endless here, and while NHL front offices would never make a trade just for the sake of wholesome, entertaining fun, we can't deny how wholesome and fun this would be.
.png?w=256 "Playoff Winners and Losers")
Con for the Devils: It's an All-In Move, So You Better Be Right
4 of 6
There's so much speculation surrounding whether the Devils will trade for Quinn, but what about the potential litany of assets they'd have to surrender?
The Devils own all of their first- and second-round picks for the next three seasons. That's an embarrassment of riches and a tremendous asset, but it's also publicly available information, and the Canucks absolutely need a slam-dunk return here.
The combination of highly touted prospects and draft picks the Devils have stowed away makes them a top suitor for Quinn (remember, the Canucks don't have to trade him to New Jersey just because he might want to go there), but it will also be used as leverage as the Canucks squeeze as many out as possible in the deal.
Quinn's contract carries an extremely modest $7.85 million according to Puckpedia, but no matter how great that contract is (thanks, Vancouver!), the Devils are actually slightly above the cap right now. The Devils will have to give up more assets, like a young rostered player or two, to convince the Canucks to retain some salary, and/or will have to get rid of a few pieces, regardless, to remain cap-compliant with Quinn.
Again, the Canucks don't have to trade Quinn, but if he indicates he won't re-sign when his contract is up at the end of next year, they probably will. While he could end up on any team looking to be competitive for at least a year and a half, it makes the most sense for him to go to a team with mutual extension intentions. His next contract will blow his previous contract out of the water.
This is a massive investment in a top-two active defenseman in his prime. It's the investment of a lifetime, but the Devils still need to handle it correctly.
Pro for the Devils: Big Brother Can Keep an Eye on Jack and Luke
5 of 6
I'm not blaming steak knife gate on anyone: Stuff happens. I feel terrible for Jack, who was pacing his team in a stellar start to the season with 10 goals and 20 points in 17 games as he emerged from last year's injury.
I'm just saying, in an alternate universe, maybe Quinn was at that team dinner and cut Jack's steak for him while mocking him for not being able to cut steak, and this injury was prevented entirely. I have a big brother, and he would totally do this.
In all seriousness, how awesome would it be for fellow defenseman Luke to play with and learn from his superstar brother at the highest level in hockey? How motivating would it be for Jack and Quinn, who have logged plenty of NHL years and have had several sniffs of the Stanley Cup playoffs, to get the opportunity to win it all together with Luke?
As much as an NHL team doesn't trade for a brother just because it's a good story, there is a totally valid human element here. The opportunity to accomplish a once-in-a-lifetime goal with all of your siblings who share that common goal is one of the most motivating scenarios you can think of. While you don't doubt any individual Hughes brothers' motivation to begin with, the camaraderie and potential lore of it all could genuinely become one of those intangibles that wins you a Stanley Cup.
Pro for the Canucks: It's Finally Time to Start a True Rebuild
6 of 6
It's been difficult to grasp the direction and motivations of this Canucks front office, even with team president Jim Rutherford seemingly airing it all out on a talk show every few months.
The team was looking to stay relevant post-Miller trade, re-signing Brock Boeser, signing Evander Kane, and hoping Thatcher Demko would stay healthy. Demko's injury has persisted, and the team's defensive depth, overall structure, and morale just haven't allowed for that, so Vancouver sits at the bottom of the Pacific Division with an 11-16-3 record and a -23 goal differential.
Is it finally time to admit defeat and start over? Trading Quinn, your home-grown, No. 7 overall phenom of a captain, would indicate the start of a new era for the Canucks.
Maybe if they stop rearranging the chairs on the Titanic and admit that a player or two isn't the problem, but that the whole structure of the team is, a true rebuild can finally come. If the Canucks can get a few top picks and a few active players that actually address their shortcomings, letting go of an unsuccessful past might set them free.
.png?w=480 "Playoff Winners and Losers")
