Quinn Hughes’ Private Message Forced Canucks to Push for Trade

A major revelation from Elliotte Friedman on Saturday night has shed new light on why the Vancouver Canucks moved quickly to explore trade options involving Quinn Hughes. A trade that most thought might eventually happen, a deal to Minnesota seemingly came out of nowhere.

Speaking on Saturday Headlines, Friedman reported that Hughes informed the Canucks just before U.S. Thanksgiving that he would not re-sign with the team when eligible for an extension this summer. That message, delivered earlier than many expected, essentially forced Vancouver’s hand and accelerated discussions around his future.

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Michael Russo of The Athletic adds that he spoke to Hughes’ agent Pat Brisson and was told:

“If they were in a better place right now, we wouldn’t be having these conversations. We couldn’t guarantee that Quinn was going to sign, and Quinn felt that it was probably time to go in the near, near future here since we weren’t guaranteeing that.”

According to Friedman, Hughes’ decision caught many by surprise. While there had been public speculation about his long-term plans — including the possibility of wanting to play alongside his brothers — the timing and clarity of his desire to eventually leave is why the Canucks pushed for trade discussions with other teams. Once Hughes made it clear he was unlikely to commit beyond his current deal, the Canucks understood he wasn’t changing his mind and began aggressively looking for trade partners.

As for why Hughes didn’t want to re-sign, Friedman suggested Hughes was having difficulty dealing with the team’s situation and the losing. He didn’t see a long-term fit, especially with so many pieces gone and the future looking dismal. From that point on, Vancouver knew it couldn’t afford to wait.

Only Two Teams Were Willing to Make a Trade For Hughes With No Guarantees

However, Hughes’ contract status scared off several potential suitors. Teams were hesitant to trade significant assets without any assurance of a long-term extension. Hughes wasn’t about to give it, and he hasn’t given one to the Minnesota Wild. Friedman reports that the Wild were among the two teams that didn’t care.

The New Jersey Devils were the other one.

Minnesota, led by Bill Guerin, wasn’t afraid to push its chips in. Guerin’s aggressive approach pushed them to the front of the line rather quickly. Meanwhile, New Jersey ran into a different problem.

While the Devils were interested, Friedman explained they simply couldn’t make the finances work. Existing cap-related clauses — “honestly and fairly negotiated,” according to Friedman — prevented them from clearing the necessary space to bring Hughes in. Those restrictions ultimately knocked New Jersey out of serious contention.

All in all, the trade will go down as one that seems like a solid deal for both teams. Whether the Canucks ultimately lose the trade or not, “There’s no doubt,” Friedman said, “that given the situation, the Canucks couldn’t have gotten a better deal.”

Next: Trade Grades: Is the Quinn Hughes Blockbuster a Win-Win?