Among the loudest Quinn Hughes trade rumors were the ones that linked the elite blueliner to the New Jersey Devils. The Eastern Conference team is already armed with Luke and Jack Hughes, the former Canucks captain’s brothers. The defenseman was also linked with the Detroit Red Wings, the Washington Capitals, the Carolina Hurricanes, and the New York Rangers.
However, Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin had other plans. Guerin, who had sent shockwaves throughout the league by extending Kirill Kaprizov’s stay through an enormous contract, didn’t think twice before locking up Hughes in another landmark move. Meanwhile, the Devils’ lineup is not all that disappointed after losing out on the defenseman.
New Jersey Devils Winger Makes Feelings Known About Quinn Hughes Trade
Hughes had expressed his desire to play with his brothers, Jack and Luke, in New Jersey. Still, the front office at Minnesota has effectively squashed the possibility of such a development. Hughes is staying in the Western Conference, playing for the Central Division team. The 26-year-old defenseman is embarking on a new chapter of his NHL career with the Wild.
“He just loves hockey. And I think there’s no better market than Minnesota to be a hockey player. I believe in our team and our culture and our organization and our market, our fans. Hockey’s in the fabric here, and I think he’ll really like it,” Guerin stated, sounding optimistic about Hughes’ upcoming days at Minnesota, as reported by the Associated Press for Sportsnet.
For the teams that missed out on the opportunity of acquiring one of the best defensemen in the league, not everything is as bleak as many would have expected. Devils winger Paul Cotter expressed a feeling of relief about the trade between the Canucks and New Jersey involving Quinn Hughes not materializing.
“Paul Cotter admits there was a sense of relief for the room after the Quinn Hughes trade: ‘I guess it’s good that maybe some guys feel more secure,'” Devils reporter James Nichols shared on his X account.
For the trajectory that this season has followed for the Canucks, Cotter’s sentiment about some players being relieved that the odds of being sent to Vancouver have subsided is not unfounded. Moreover, Hughes’ own brother, Luke, could also have been adversely affected if such a trade had occurred.
Also Read: Oilers Insider Reveals How Edmonton Could Be Impacted by Minnesota’s Quinn Hughes Trade
Of course, the Canucks got three players and a first-round 2026 NHL draft pick in return. But the weight of losing a star defenseman and the team’s captain ought to hang heavy on the Canucks’ brass. “We love him as a person and as a player, one of the greatest players that’s ever played for the Canucks. I think that we have to respect what he’s done here, and respect the fact that he was getting closer to free agency and he’d have a choice to go where he wanted,” Jim Rutherford stated in the wake of the trade as reported by NHL media.
The Wild is in a respectable spot in the standings, but Vancouver has a lot of ground to cover if the team wants to redeem its image.
