Vancouver Canucks President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford.

Photo credit: CBC

A National Hockey League insider has put the blame on Vancouver Canucks President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford for the ongoing Quinn Hughes trade chatter.

After another year of missing out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Vancouver Canucks’ brass of Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin met with reporters for their season-ending media availability in April and comments made by the former has led to a firestorm of endless trade rumors over the last eight months.

With Quinn Hughes eligible to sign a contract extension in July and become an unrestricted free agent in July 2027, Jim Rutherford told reporters that the team’s captain has expressed a desire to play with his brothers, Jack and Luke of the New Jersey Devils, at some point in his career.

“It may not boil down to money with [Quinn]. He said before he wants to play with his brothers. That would be partly out of our control. In our control if we brought his brothers here.” Rutherford said back in April.

NHL insider puts blame on Jim Rutherford for ongoing Quinn Hughes trade chatter

Former NHLer-turned-insider Nick Kypreos spoke about trade rumors surrounding Quinn Hughes of late and believes that this whole situation has backfired on Jim Rutherford after he “volunteered” his captain to play with his brothers in New Jersey.

Kypreos added that Rutherford started all of this trade chatter and that it wasn’t driven by the media or elsewhere, it’s solely on the Canucks’ President of Hockey Operations, and that the noise wouldn’t be nearly as loud at this moment if he didn’t make those comments to reporters in April.

“I think it backfired on [Rutherford] somewhat. Not a snow ball’s chance that we’re dealing with [the Quinn Hughes situation] today if last season [Rutherford] didn’t volunteer QH with his brothers. It was something that he did on his own, it did not come out in the media, it wasn’t driven anywhere but HE started this. With another year on QH’s deal, the noise wouldn’t be this loud if he just didn’t do that there’s a big difference between thinking it wit the media and then hearing someone who has inside information on it..” Kypreos said.

Unfortunately for the Vancouver Canucks and their fans, there’s no way to turn back the clock and have Jim Rutherford avoid making those comments and everyone will just have to deal with these trade rumors up until Quinn Hughes is dealt, which feels is inevitable at this point.

The only question that remains is where will Quinn Hughes end up – New Jersey? Detroit? Carolina? the New York Rangers? Pittsburgh? Philadelphia? Washington? Only time will tell and it’s going to be interesting to see if a deal is completed before the March 6th deadline or if Patrik Allvin decides to wait until the summer.

Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily

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Respected NHL insider puts blame on Canucks President Jim Rutherford for Quinn Hughes trade distractions

Do you think trade chatter around Quinn Hughes would be this loud without Jim Rutherford’s comments from April?