Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes is back in the trade-rumor spotlight after reports surfaced that the team is making its “veterans” available. The chatter comes in the wake of a disappointing start to the season, with the Canucks sitting second-last in the Pacific Division with a 10-12-2 record.
While Hughes is reportedly not among the players Vancouver is making available, an insider has suggested when trade discussions involving the star defenseman could truly ramp up.
When Could Quinn Hughes Trade Talks Start Heating Up?
Hughes is currently in the fifth year of his six-year, $47.1 million contract and becomes eligible to sign an extension in July. He leads the Canucks with 22 points in 19 games this season, further highlighting his importance to the team.
On the Real Kyper and Bourne podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman weighed in on the growing trade speculation surrounding Hughes. He said, “I’m curious to see where everybody is at the Olympics; the Olympics starts a month before the trade deadline; that for me is the big time this year; maybe these conversations happen while he’s playing there.”
The 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina run from February 11 to February 22, and Hughes has already been named as one of six players on Team USA’s preliminary ice hockey roster.
Later, speaking on Canucks Central, Friedman doubled down on the idea that discussions could surface around Olympic time, but added that some believe the trade chatter could even begin earlier. “I assume this conversation’s gonna come around the Olympics…some people said today it could even be earlier than that,” he added.
Speculation around Hughes also grew after his brother, New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes, openly expressed a desire for the two to play together at some point in their NHL careers. Jack is already teammates with their younger brother, Luke Hughes, in New Jersey.
Also Read: Insider Delivers Message to Canucks Fans From Quinn Hughes’ Camp
Quinn also continues to log massive minutes for Vancouver, averaging around 27:06 per game, the highest on the team, showcasing both his importance and the pressure Vancouver faces.
When Canucks head coach Adam Foote was asked whether it was challenging to reduce Hughes’ ice time simply because of his value, Foote responded, “We have to tame him, rather have to tame him than push him. His desire to win, if that is something I have to deal with, then I will deal with it, and we will adjust and keep working with him. He is fun to coach and fun to be around.” As for what Vancouver will ultimately decide to do with Hughes, that remains to be seen.