Canucks Have Discussed Major Quinn Hughes Trade Decision for This Season

There may be an interesting development regarding Quinn Hughes and the Vancouver Canucks. Insider Rick Dhaliwal said on Canucks Talk that the organization has had discussions behind the scenes and internally believes it may be better to trade Hughes this season—not next—if he doesn’t want to commit long term.

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Both hosts believe the return is far greater for Vancouver if they choose not to wait on a blockbuster trade. Don Taylor said he can’t imagine how much more the Canucks would get if they dealt Hughes this season. Dhaliwal believes the Canucks have already made that decision.

Taylor noted:

“I just can’t imagine the truckload you would get for him at that point again, versus doing what they often do, and that’s just wait and wait and wait till the bitter end. I just couldn’t imagine how valuable he would be to not just have them for half a season or a few weeks, but maybe a season in a bit.”

Dhaliwhal added:

“If you get to a situation where he wants out, do it quicker than later. There are so many benefits to doing it quicker than later, and if you do it next year, it becomes a gong show… If you know, after the Olympics, quietly go to him and say, ‘Hey what are your thoughts? Do you see a feature of Vancouver? Well no I don’t, well okay, do you mind if we do the trade no,w as opposed to next yea,r when it could become a gong show?’

Finally, Dhaliwal noted:

“I do believe that they internally do think that it’s better to move him this year if, capital letters, if he doesn’t want to commit to the franchise long-term, and maybe you get more from this year than maybe next year…”

Canucks Might Seriously Be Thinking About a Hughes Trade

The discussion gained momentum after columnist Gary Mason wrote that if the Canucks fall out of the playoff race by January or February, management needs clarity on Hughes’ future. If the odds of keeping him aren’t great, Mason argued, the sooner they explore a move, the better. Both hosts noted that Mason tends to be bang on when he brings things like this up.

Dhaliwal seemed to be under the impression the Canucks don’t want any more drama. And, if Hughes is leaving, the fact that the captain might be on the move means that there’s a huge storyline regarding the leadership of the franchise. Trading your captain during a contract-year saga isn’t ideal. Doing it earlier gives everyone involved more stability.

Of course, none of this happens unless Hughes indicates he doesn’t see a long-term future in Vancouver. He might be open to signing a new deal, in which case, all of this is a moot point. But the Canucks appear to have a clear stance: if the writing is on the wall, better to act now than let the situation drag into a “gong show” next year.

Next: Insider Notes Canucks Could Trade Kiefer Sherwood Despite Breakout Season