Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

One of the biggest trade rumors around the NHL over the past year has centered on Vancouver Canucks star defenseman Quinn Hughes. Hughes still has a few years left on his current contract, but this hasn’t stopped the noise that he could leave the team at some point.

The veteran has been linked to the New Jersey Devils for the most part, likely due to the fact that his two brothers play for the franchise. But for now, Hughes remains focused on helping the Canucks go after a Stanley Cup title.

However, all the trade rumors are hard to ignore, and Vancouver understands that it will have to figure something out quickly. Hughes is a very talented player, and he will have a lot of say in how everything goes down moving forward.

Last season with the Canucks, Hughes put up some impressive numbers, posting 16 goals and putting up 60 assists over 68 games played in the regular season. Hughes is one of the more explosive defensemen around the entire NHL, and he could earn the Canucks a large trade return if they were to actually move him.

Hughes has even addressed the trade rumors, somewhat quieting them down ahead of the season. But the fact that he even made a point to discuss them seems to indicate that the upcoming free agency could be weighing on his mind.

“One thing I’m really good at — or have gotten good at — is I’m very present. I can’t even sign for another year, so there’s nothing I can do. As far as the noise (about his future), I can handle the noise. That’s why I’m the captain of the team, because I can handle these things and I can play at an elite level, and it doesn’t matter what’s going on around me.

It remains to be seen if the Canucks will seriously look to move Hughes, but if he gives the team the signal that he won’t resign long-term, the front office may be forced to do so. Vancouver would prefer to keep the star around for the long haul, but they also have to do what is best for the future of the team.

This is just a prediction, NOT a report!

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Los Angeles Kings Trade For Quinn Hughes

As the Canucks look around the league for potential trade offers for Hughes, if he is made available, there are a few teams that make more sense than others. One team that could make a compelling offer to Vancouver could be the Los Angeles Kings, who are desperate to make some sort of splash-type move.

Los Angeles has been bounced out in the first round of the playoffs in each of the past few seasons, and this team needs something else to get them over the hump. Hughes could be the missing piece, and he could serve them extremely well for both this season and beyond.

The Kings had one of the better defensive units last season, but the offseason was a weird one for Los Angeles. Adding someone like Hughes to the mix could push this team even closer to winning another title, and it could be a worthwhile move.

The biggest obstacle to a deal is the fact that the Canucks and Kings are rivals, but if Los Angeles were to put together a strong enough trade package, Vancouver could likely overlook this. If anything, the Kings should call the Canucks to see what it could take to bring Hughes to Los Angeles.