The Detroit Red Wings’ most egregious mistake at the draft table over the past decade happened in 2018 when they used the sixth pick on Filip Zadina, who many expected would be a goal-scoring force in the NHL.

One pick later, the Vancouver Canucks took defenseman Quinn Hughes.

Might the Red Wings rectify that gaffe, albeit in a costly way, by trading for Hughes eight years later?

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman weighed in on the possibility this week on the Morning Cuppa Hockey podcast. He believes the Canucks are seeking “legitimate NHLers,” including a center, for the 2024 Norris Trophy winner.

“When I rank the teams and I say, who can do this, and where would (Hughes) want to go, I would say Detroit’s very high on my list,” Friedman said on the podcast. “Don’t forget (Canucks president of hockey operations) Jim Rutherford and (Red Wings general manager) Steve Yzerman did a deal out of nowhere a couple years ago (Filip Hronek to Vancouver), so I always look at that. But can you see (Yzerman) not being interested in Quinn Hughes? Can you see Quinn Hughes not being interested in Detroit when the time comes? So, I think they’re very legit.

“And Detroit has centers that have been playing the NHL. And I’m not talking about the depth guys. I think everybody can figure out who I’m talking about, although I don’t like to name names. I think Detroit is a team to watch.”

Friedman later clarified he wasn’t referring to Dylan Larkin, who has a full no-trade clause through 2027-28.

If the Red Wings were to acquire Hughes, it could cost them some combination of Nate Danielson, Marco Kasper or Axel Sandin-Pellikka, a first-round pick and perhaps other picks. They’re not trading Lucas Raymond, and it seems unlikely they would move Simon Edvinsson.

The Red Wings also aren’t going to part with prime assets for Hughes without having a contract extension in place. Yzerman isn’t in the rental business.

Hughes’ contract runs through the end of the 2026-27 season, and he’ll get a hefty bump from his current $7.825 million salary. But he can’t sign until July 1, 2026, so any potential trade isn’t likely to happen until the offseason, unless a team rolls the dice thinking they can acquire him now and sign him later.

Hughes, 26, can become an unrestricted free agent following the 2026-27 season, so he essentially controls his destiny. Many believe he might join brothers Jack and Luke in New Jersey, if not through a trade, then as a free agent on July 1, 2027.

There will be a lot of rumors and speculation before then.

Detroit could appeal to Hughes because he spent two years each at the U.S. National Team Development Program in Plymouth and the University of Michigan. His parents live in the area.

Hughes is a perennial Norris Trophy candidate who has averaged nearly a point a game during his eight-year career (431 points in 456 games). He could be the difference-maker the Red Wings haven’t found in free agency or through trade in many years.