Four games into December, and the Vancouver Canucks have lost three of them. The team is performing the worst among all teams across divisions this season, currently holding an 11-16-3 record and 25 points. This is truly a disastrous situation and far from the comeback that anyone could have imagined for Vancouver.
The Canucks have been hollowed out by injuries. Fans of the franchise have even raised questions about key defenseman and team captain Quinn Hughes’ attitude throughout the season. Trade rumors surrounding Hughes are only getting louder, with an insider now linking him with an unexpected franchise.
Insider Names the New York Rangers as a Possible Destination for Quinn Hughes
The Canucks’ season is going so poorly that the fans of the franchise began to nitpick Hughes’ demeanor at one point. In all honesty, the 26-year-old is probably overworked with the time he is spending on ice, only for his efforts to fall short again and again. Hughes is a franchise cornerstone. Even when the Canucks management considered moving their veterans, Hughes was not the one they had in mind.
However, if he wants to leave, he must. Hughes’ six-year, $47.10 million contract with Vancouver is inching towards conclusion, and the elite blueliner has been linked to several teams. The New Jersey Devils are one team that Hughes has been linked to with particular fervor. The defenseman’s brothers, Jack and Luke, are already crucial elements of the Devils’ roster.
Hughes has also been linked to the Detroit Red Wings, the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Philadelphia Flyers, among others. To further add to this evolving storyline, David Pagnotta has speculated that the New York Rangers may participate in the Hughes sweepstakes.
“Another team to look out for is the New York Rangers; it wouldn’t shock me to see the Blueshirts taking a swing,” Pagnotta reported, as shared by the NHL Rumour Report on X.
The New York Rangers have struggled this season, but if there is a team that has fared even worse, it’s the Canucks. The Rangers may look to acquire Hughes to compensate for Adam Fox’s absence. Adding Hughes could solidify the team’s Stanley Cup odds.
“In many ways, trading for Hughes could be exactly what the Rangers need in the 2025–26 season. Acquiring him would revamp their aspirations of hoisting their fifth Stanley Cup (first since 1994). Moreover, with Adam Fox out with an injury, bringing Hughes into the lineup would be the perfect replacement–and could create the best defensive pairing in the NHL once Fox returns to the ice,” Federico O’Donnell wrote for Bolavip.
Moreover, the article further states that the Rangers could be motivated by their epic rivalry with the Devils and attempt to upset their plans for the Hughes brothers to play together by making a move on Hughes first. What actually awaits the defenseman remains to be seen.