As the Vancouver Canucks attempt to overcome their three-game losing streak, news has emerged that the team’s front office is reportedly considering trade offers regarding their veteran players, but not Quinn Hughes.
The Canucks are languishing at the bottom of the Pacific Division with 20 points, and all hopes of a potential comeback are looking increasingly bleak with every match. Considering the Canucks’ current situation, they could find themselves in a scenario where Hughes may want to leave and take his championship aspirations elsewhere.
Insider Weighs in on Quinn Hughes’ Future Amid the Vancouver Canucks’ Disastrous Season
Truly, this is by far the worst season to be slacking for the Canucks. Hughes will be eligible to sign a contract extension to prolong his stay in Vancouver next summer, and the season’s trajectory has been anything but encouraging for any plans of a long-term stay with the Canucks.
Frank Seravalli joined Bob Stauffer on the “Oilers Now” podcast to discuss what could potentially lie ahead for the key blueliner and the Canucks. If the season progresses in the direction that it has been going for Vancouver, the team’s management cannot escape a bitter conversation or two with Hughes and his representatives.
“It is fair to engage in some dialogue with Quinn Hughes and his representation to say, ‘we know you are eligible to sign on July 1, we would move heaven and earth to keep you here, to build around you, to make this team be in a shared interest, to be as competitive as possible.
However, if you would like to go somewhere else, or if you plan to walk in free agency anyway ultimately, can we begin to engage in those conversations now and start this process as opposed to waiting until July to really understand how our team is going to take shape?’” Servalli explained how the Canucks could navigate the murky waters surrounding the face of the franchise.
However, Hughes may decide to leave. Plenty of teams will be in contention for the D-man, including the Philadelphia Flyers and the New Jersey Devils. The Devils can emerge as a favourite destination because the blueliner already has brothers Jack and Luke playing on the team. But Seravalli noted that when it comes to the Devils and Hughes, it is easier said than done.
Hughes could join the Devils, but it would undoubtedly hold adverse repercussions for his brother Luke. “Everyone circles New Jersey because of his two brothers that are playing there and obviously that makes a ton of sense. But how does New Jersey pull it off, and does even acquiring Quinn Hughes come at the expense of Luke Hughes? Like, Luke can’t run PP1 if Quinn Hughes is on there,” Seravalli explained.
Obviously, a theory that brings the three Hughes brothers to play on the same team has been a long-standing one. If it can even translate into reality, now remains to be seen.