Nothing like a Friday night blockbuster. Per NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Vancouver Canucks have finally pulled the trigger on a long-rumored Quinn Hughes trade. The former Norris Trophy winner is heading to the Minnesota Wild.
Going back to Vancouver will be defenseman Zeev Buium, forward Marco Rossi, forward Liam Ohgren, and a first-round pick. The year in which that pick will fall is currently unknown as more details unfurl. But first, let’s talk about Hughes.
The 26-year-old blueliner has been a star ever since Vancouver drafted him. He finished second in the Calder Trophy race during his rookie season while making the All-Star Game. Hughes truly ascended to stardom in the 2023-24 season, capturing his first Norris Trophy by putting up 92 points in 82 games with a +38 plus-minus. Over eight seasons, Hughes has 432 points in 459 games. He’s rarely injured, plays a solid defensive game, and can rack up points with the best of them. Few teams could ask for a better top-pairing defenseman.
As of now, the Minnesota Wild are 10th in Stanley Cup odds at +2800 on DraftKings Sportsbook. This deal surely pushes them forward in the West, where they are tied for third in total points as of Friday night. The Canucks, however, are +30000.
Hughes is in the fifth year of a six-year, $47.1 million extension he signed with Vancouver. He’s on the books for $7.85 million this year and next. Assuming the pairing between player and team goes well this season, extension talks will be had in this upcoming offseason.
The package going back to Vancouver is interesting. On the surface, it seems a bit light for a player of Hughes’ talent, but there is blue-chip talent here. Zeev Buium is the headliner here. The 20-year-old was the 12th overall pick by the Wild in the 2024 draft out of the University of Denver. He broke into the big leagues this year and has 14 points in 31 games with a -9 plus-minus.
Offense has never been the issue for Buium, who projected as a top power-play quarterback at his peak with massive upside at the point. It’s the defense that may do him in, and it was a problem for Minnesota this season. But it’s rare to see a 20-year-old even being a passable NHL player; the Canucks will gamble on his upside and take their time working on his defensive effort and technique.
Marco Rossi is the other big name going back to Vancouver. The 24-year-old was the ninth overall pick by Minnesota in the 2020 draft, and put up a strong season in 2024-25 with 60 points in 82 games. That netted him a three-year, $15 million extension that begins this season. Another offense-first talent, Rossi is likely to see plenty of time alongside Canucks top pivot Elias Pettersson.
Liam Ohgren is the third former first-rounder going west. The 21-year-old is point-less in 18 games with the Wild this year, and has yet to truly find his footing. Vancouver took the gamble on his talent, and with a first-round pick on top of things, it’s an intriguing haul for the Canucks.
Of note, the Minnesota Wild weren’t the only team after Hughes. The New Jersey Devils, long considered to be in the mix for his services, made the first offer. Quinn’s younger brothers, Jack and Luke, both play for the Devils. It’s not hard to connect the dots. But, according to insider Pierre LeBrun, they didn’t make strong enough overtures to the Canucks.
What’s done is done. Quinn Hughes is a part of the Minnesota Wild. Giddyup, Wild fans.
