Without question, the New Jersey Devils were going to have competition in a potential Quinn Hughes sweepstakes. However, there’s growing noise around one particular Eastern Conference team who could give the Devils a run for their money.
On the latest Morning Cuppa Hockey show, Elliotte Friedman was asked about where Quinn Hughes might land, and the eldest Hughes brothers hometown team came up.
The Detroit Red Wings have been a middling team for a while at this point, and perhaps landing a game breaker would change their trajectory. Friedman explains, as we already know, it’s going to be costly.
“I do see legitimate NHLers going in return for [Quinn],” Friedman started. “The one thing Detroit has that Philly doesn’t is, they have a center. I do think, when I rank the teams and I say ‘Who can do this and where would Hughes want to go,’ I’d say Detroit is very high on my list.”
One of the things that Detroit and Vancouver have that the Devils don’t necessarily do is history.
“Don’t forget, Jim Rutherford and Steve Yzerman did a deal out of nowhere a couple of years ago,” Friedman continued. “That was Filip Hronek. I always look at that, who has done deals in the past?”
The Devils still seem like the obvious choice. They have assets in Simon Nemec, perhaps even Dougie Hamilton, as well as draft picks and prospects they can deal.
Yet, Friedman explained the Red Wings could have what Vancouver is looking for positionally.
“I think [Detroit] is very legit, and they have centers. Centers who can play in the NHL. I’m not talking about the depth guys… One thing Vancouver has made very clear is they have to get another center,” Friedman stated.
The Devils don’t necessarily have centers to sell. Certainly, they’re not trading Jack Hughes for his brother. Nor are they moving Nico Hischier. In the pipeline, there’s no blue chip prospect up the middle coming, either.
Dawson Mercer’s name has been murmured in these discussions, and he does have center potential. Perhaps, he’s the centerfold in a deal for the Devils.
Yet, if the Red Wings are dangling Dylan Larkin, the Devils might be outmatched in a bidding war.
The Canucks still have not made Quinn available. And at this point, it could all be hearsay. Yet, the noise around Quinn won’t go away, and the Devils certainly will have competition.
James is the New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on Sportsnaut and the PHWAs New … More about James Nichols