The Minnesota Wild weren't on the shortlist of teams that could be a trade partner with the Vancouver Canucks for Quinn Hughes. However, in a move no one saw coming, the Wild acquired the former Norris Trophy winner in a deal reportedly including Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium, and a first-round pick, according to Elliotte Friedman via X, formerly known as Twitter.
It's a massive return for a Canucks team that wanted to keep competing after trading their captain. Rossi and Buium are already established NHLers, while Ohgren is a former first-round pick in 2022 who has been struggling to get a foothold with the Wild.
Rossi aligns with the Canucks' desire to acquire a top-six center in the return, while Buium was their top prospect last season while playing at the University of Denver. He could immediately enter in place of Hughes and be a factor, while eventually becoming one of the league's top-end defensemen.
It was becoming clear that Hughes was unhappy in Vancouver, which makes this deal good for both sides. Hughes gets the fresh start that he was seeking, while the Canucks will be better now and in the future.
Hughes immediately makes the Wild a legitimate contender in the Western Conference. The team has been a defensive juggernaut recently with the emergence of Jesper Wallstedt, and Hughes will help supplement their offensive attack without losing many of the pieces that were making their defense great. Buium was contributing offensively, but was struggling on the defensive side of the puck.
It's a franchise-altering trade for both teams, as to be expected when a player of Hughes' stature is dealt.
