Canucks Complete Unexpected Quinn Hughes Trade With Wild

Minnesota gains an elite puck-moving defenseman who steps in as the club’s top option on the blue line. Hughes should run the first power play, sliding Brock Faber to the second unit. He has 23 points in 26 games, and his offense could rise next to Kirill Kaprizov, whom the Wild signed to a $136 million contract before the start of the season.

Jim Rutherford thanked Hughes and framed the deal as a needed shift for Vancouver.

"Quinn is a great person, a great player, and one of the greatest Canucks of all time," Rutherford said. "... [Young players from Minnesota are] a key part of the rebuild that we are currently in, giving us a bright future moving forward...using that as a blueprint to become a contender sooner rather than later."

Hughes leaves Vancouver as one of the most productive defensemen in team history. He won the Norris Trophy in the 2023-24 season and served as captain despite inconsistent results. The 26-year-old posted 432 points in 459 games with strong playoff output.

The Canucks sit near the bottom of the Pacific at 11-17-3 with defensive and special teams issues. Hughes drove offense, but support scoring and late-game execution fell short. The trade signals acceptance that change was needed.

The Wild sit 17-9-5 and trust structure, depth, and goaltending to support a bold swing. Hughes joins a roster that allows fewer goals and closes games more cleanly. His debut Sunday could mark a sharp new chapter for both teams.