Wild Got Robbed on Quinn Hughes Trade

Buium's Future Greatness

The biggest reason to name the Canucks clear-cut winners is the fact that they landed Zeev Buium. Yes, the Wild landed the best player in the deal right now. It's why they should be given the immediate advantage in any trade analysis.

But the Canucks landed the player that will be the best one in this deal when it's all said and done. Buium, the 12th-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, is easily the best defensive prospect in the entire NHL.

Now, he's the key to the next phase of hockey in Vancouver. Buium is a player that can anchor a power play and top penalty killing units while playing 25 minutes a night.

Right now, he's a 20-year-old rookie going through the ups and downs of being a first year player in this league. But his ceiling is only going to rise and so will his production on the ice.

In a year or two, Buium will be among the best at his position. That's a guarantee.

Assets Beyond Buium

Adding Buium is the most important piece of all of this, but the Canucks deserve credit for the haul they received in addition to the young defender. Liam Ohgren is another former first-round pick. and while he's struggled to stick at the NHL level, he will get a fresh start in Vancouver.

Then there's center Marco Rossi. He's scored 20 goals or more in each of the last two seasons, including a career-high 60 points last season.

The knock against him is that he isn't physical enough to withstand the rigors of being a top-line center, but the Canucks don't need him to be that. Instead, they will ask him to anchor the second line behind Elias Pettersson. It's a role that he's ideally suited for, and he should instantly upgrade the forward group in Vancouver.