For the first time since being traded to the Wild, Quinn Hughes will face off against the team that drafted him No. 7 overall in the 2018 NHL draft.

ST PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Wild star defenseman Quinn Hughes says he hasn’t had much time to think about it.

“I just feel like, you’re so day-to-day and the season’s flown by and so much has happened that you don’t even really think about it until it’s here,” the 26-year-old blueliner told reporters Thursday morning.

For the first time since being traded to the Wild, Hughes will face off against the team that drafted him No. 7 overall in the 2018 NHL draft. Hughes spent his first 7.5 years in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks where he was a two-time All-Star and the 2024 Norris Trophy winner as the league’s top defenseman.

On Thursday, the Canucks will be in Minnesota for the first game between the two teams since the Dec. 12, 2025, blockbuster deal that sent Hughes to the Wild and Zeev Buium, Marco Rossi, Liam Öhgren and a 2026 first-round pick to Vancouver.

“Probably won’t feel real til — not even warmups — probably the game,” Hughes said.

For Hughes, it’s been a blur. He scored in his first game wearing a Wild sweater and has tallied a team-high 45 assists in just 42 games. That offensive spark has also come with an optimistic feeling that the Wild could escape the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

“It’s a great group of guys. I love the coaching staff,” Hughes said of the Wild. “Obviously, tight with (general manager Bill Guerin) and I just think it’s a great place to play and really enjoy it.”

Hughes said January was when he got truly acclimated with his new team and teammates, and it showed. He recorded 22 points in 15 games, including a four-assist game on Jan. 2 against Anaheim. While Hughes called winning a gold medal at the Olympics “unbelievable,” he said he’s had to get reacclimated since that break.

Head coach John Hynes even tried shuffling up the defensive pairings a bit lately, putting Hughes with captain Jared Spurgeon. But on Thursday, Hughes is expected to be reunited with Brock Faber, who has been his linemate for the majority of his time in Minnesota.

“Looking forward to being able to play playoff hockey here,” Hughes said. “But, obviously, I’ve got to focus on the next eight (games) as well.”

Hughes won’t be the only player going up against his former team Thursday night. Buium, Rossi and Öhgren are all expected to play after starting the season with the Wild.

“I’m happy for those guys,” Hynes said. “They’re in a situation where they’re getting some ice time, and I think they’re all playing pretty well and are a big part of their team now, but also a big part of that team moving forward.”

After a 60-point season with the Wild last year, Rossi has five goals and 17 assists in 25 games with the Canucks. He’s coming off a two-assist game Wednesday night against the Colorado Avalanche. Buium and Öhgren also recorded assists in that game as Vancouver took down the top team in the league, 8-6.

While the Canucks have officially been eliminated, the focus for them is the future. And with Buium, Rossi and Öhgren all under the age of 25, there’s plenty of optimism about what that future could be.

“They’ve moved on to a different situation, but that situation has been great for them as well,” Hynes said.