Latest Rumors on Quinn Hughes Trade Talks, Teams That Pursued Star Before Wild Deal

Before the Minnesota Wild were able to pull off a blockbuster trade for Quinn Hughes, several teams had offers on the table to the Vancouver Canucks for the star defenseman.

Per The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun, there were six confirmed teams that made "legitimate offers" for Hughes. That group includes the New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers.

LeBrun also cited the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes as teams that showed interest, while the Philadelphia Flyers "kicked tires" on a potential deal but ultimately didn't want to give up all the assets it would have required to get done.

The Wild won the Hughes sweepstakes by sending a package that includes Marco Rossi, Liam Öhgren, Zeev Buium and a 2026 first-round pick to Vancouver.

Vancouver's decision to move on from Hughes was the capper on a rough two-year stretch for the franchise. The Canucks had the third-best season in franchise history by total points (109) in 2023-24, missed the playoffs the following year and are 11-17-3 through 31 games to start the 2025-26 campaign.

Hughes is signed through the 2026-27 season, so rather than wait to see if a quick organizational turnaround could happen, general manager Patrik Allvin opted to make a deal that potentially sets them up for long-term success.

The fact that Minnesota wound up being the destination where Hughes landed is notable because it was assumed the Devils were his preferred landing spot because his brothers, Jack and Luke, play for New Jersey.

Hughes' connection to New Jersey was so strong that Canucks president Jim Rutherford openly talked about him potentially leaving the organization when he became a free agent to play with his brothers.

The next big step for the Wild is putting together a successful team that convinces Hughes to stay before he hits the market in the summer of 2026. They are currently tied with the Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks for third-most points in the Western Conference (39).

Minnesota has made the playoffs in 11 times in the last 13 years, but hasn't won a postseason series since the 2014-15 season.

Hughes, the 2023-24 Norris Trophy winner, has 23 points in 26 games this season. His 21 assists would rank first on the Wild.