The Quinn Hughes trade speculation continues to build, and while several contenders have been mentioned as potential landing spots, one team keeps coming up in conversations.
The Detroit Red Wings have all the pieces in place to make a blockbuster move for the Vancouver Canucks captain, and according to Pierre McGuire, Steve Yzerman needs to be aggressive if Hughes becomes available.
Speaking on The Sheet with Jeff Marek, McGuire made a compelling case for why Detroit should be all over Hughes if the Canucks decide to shake things up.
Jeff Marek laid out exactly why Hughes to Detroit makes so much sense beyond just the hockey fit. The family ties, the Michigan connections, and the presence of Dylan Larkin all point to a scenario where Hughes could thrive in a Red Wings uniform.
“If you’re Yzerman, do you not take a real swing at this when he becomes available? Family lives there. Ties to the state, obviously ties to the University of Michigan. Dylan Larkin’s there too. Do you not take a real swing at Quinn Hughes?”
McGuire didn’t hesitate with his answer. The connections are too strong to ignore, and Detroit has the assets to make a competitive offer. “Yeah, the answer is yes. JT Compher is another one who’s there. Detroit’s got to be in the mix if that’s what Steve wants to do.”
McGuire acknowledged that the New Jersey Devils are probably still leading the pack when it comes to potential destinations for Hughes. The Devils have the young talent, the cap flexibility, and the desperate need for a true number one defenseman. But that doesn’t mean Detroit should bow out of the conversation.
Detroit has done an excellent job building through the draft and developing prospects, but as McGuire pointed out, some of those young players have taken the next step while others haven’t. At some point, Yzerman might need to acknowledge that waiting for internal development isn’t going to be enough.
“Steve did an amazing job there and I think he’s trying to put his footprint on the Detroit Red Wings. They’ve developed prospects, done a real good job getting guys. But some of those guys have been able to take the next step and some of them haven’t. I think they probably need some help right now.”
The most intriguing part of McGuire’s argument was about what acquiring Hughes would do for the Detroit marketplace. The Red Wings haven’t played a meaningful game since the 2014-2015 season, nearly a decade of playoff irrelevance for one of hockey’s most storied franchises.
“What would that do to that marketplace? You bring in Hughes, you ignite that marketplace. The Ilitch family has been an amazing steward of the franchise there. This would cement whatever you want to say. That would be a huge addition for Detroit.”
For Yzerman, landing Hughes wouldn’t just be about adding an elite defenseman. It would be about signaling to the fanbase that the rebuild is over and the Red Wings are ready to compete again. That kind of statement move could change everything in Detroit.