The Vancouver Canucks’ ongoing
struggles continue to ensure that team captain Quinn Hughes remains
the hot topic for media trade chatter.
Speculation persists over where the
26-year-old superstar defenseman might end up if he and the Canucks
don’t agree to a contract extension next summer. The New Jersey
Devils and Detroit Red Wings are among the clubs believed to be
potential destinations.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes
trade talks are underway between the Canucks and clubs calling about
Hughes. He claimed sources say they’re setting a very high asking
price, which one league executive called “outrageous”, though he
didn’t go into details.
Friedman indicated that the Canucks
want a “young, impactful center” as part of the return, or “something special” to offset that desire. He stated that
multiple sources said there was no truth to the speculation that
Hughes told the Canucks last summer that he wouldn’t re-sign.
The Devils and Red Wings were among
Friedman’s list of possible suitors, which also included the
Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers, Utah Mammoth and Carolina
Hurricanes.
Capitals beat writer Sammi Silber of
The Hockey News doesn’t see that club as a fit for Hughes. She
doesn’t think that they’ll part with any of their top players, and pointed
out that the Canucks’ asking price could include promising youngsters
such as forward Ryan Leonard and defenseman Cole Hutson.
RG.Org’s James Murphy listed two clubs
that aren’t in the mix for the Canucks star, claiming the Boston
Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t expected to be among the
suitors for Hughes.
According to Murphy, the Bruins are in
the market for more scoring punch among their forwards and aren’t
interested in giving up major assets for a defenseman. Meanwhile, the
Penguins are sticking to their ongoing rebuild timeline.
Murphy also indicated that the Devils
and Red Wings remain among the leading candidates for Hughes, with
the latter club better-positioned to acquire him. That’s because the
Wings have considerable salary cap space and a deeper pool of
tradeable assets compared to the Devils.
‘They Can Hear It’: Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote Addresses Recent Quinn Hughes Trade Rumours
Quinn Hughes trade rumours have dominated the headlines for the past week
Meanwhile, all the trade conjecture
swirling around Hughes has been impossible to ignore, even among his
teammates.
On Thursday, Canucks coach Adam
Foote admitted that his players have obviously heard the rumors about
Hughes. He acknowledged that it can affect a roster, but praised them
for handling this situation as professionals.
The Canucks had to deal with the trade
rumors about Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller until the latter was
shipped to the New York Rangers last January. Toward the end of last
season, they heard the speculation about head coach Rick Tocchet’s
eventual departure to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Uncertainty over Hughes’ future is
another unwelcome drama for this club as it tries to keep up in the
Western Conference playoff race. Until this is resolved one way or
the other, it remains an unnecessary distraction.
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