The hockey world is focused on the Vancouver Canucks at this time. Vancouver is listening to trade offers on their veteran players. With the team near the bottom of the NHL, it looks likely that this team will become sellers. If this happens, every contending team in the NHL will call the Canucks about superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes.
Hughes is a top-two defenseman in the NHL. He is a former Norris Trophy winner who has become a leader for the Canucks. However, he is a free agent following the 2026-27 season. He has not signed an extension in Vancouver at this time. As the days go on without one, the likelihood of it happening decreases, especially if Vancouver is not a contender
There are a number of teams that could make an offer for the superstar rearguard. However, recent rumors point to the Detroit Red Wings as a prime trade destination. With this in mind, here is a perfect trade the Winged Wheel must offer to bring the former Michigan Wolverine back to the Great Lakes.
Full Quinn Hughes trade offer
In this scenario, the Detroit Red Wings would acquire defenseman Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks. In return, Vancouver would acquire center Nate Danielson, defenseman Albert Johansson, center J.T. Compher, a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2027 conditional second-round pick. If the Red Wings made the second round of the playoffs in either 2026 or 2027, the second-round pick would become a first-round selection.
Red Wings find missing top-four puzzle
The Red Wings are far from a perfect team. They have multiple needs they need to address if they want to become a contender in the Eastern Conference. Any trade offer for Quinn Hughes will involve pieces on the NHL roster. Detroit has to balance this internally before picking up the phone.
Perhaps Detroit's biggest flaw is its inability to prevent goals. The Red Wings' offense has shown glimpses of potentially elite play in the past. However, they absolutely leak goals, and they've done so for the better part of a decade. In fact, the Red Wings have allowed more goals than any team in the East despite being third in the Atlantic entering play Wednesday.
Detroit has run through a ton of goaltenders since Steve Yzerman returned as general manager in 2019. This summer, Detroit elected to trade for John Gibson in a deal with the Anaheim Ducks. The Red Wings have not received a good return on that investment to this point, though.
The trend of goaltending trades flaming out with nigh but a whimper seems likely to continue. However, Detroit has not yet made a significant trade to address its top-four defensive core. This is quite interesting considering it's one of their biggest positional needs.
Detroit has made changes internally, bringing Simon Edvinsson and Axel Sandin-Pellikka to the NHL in recent seasons. But an external move has not been made to strengthen the top four since the additions of Jeff Petry and Ben Chiarot in 2022.
This offer would see the Red Wings complete their puzzle in the top four. Hughes and Moritz Seider would form one of the best defensive pairings in the league. And it could help the team challenge for their first playoff berth in a decade this season.
Canucks add center depth, kick off rebuild
The Canucks would need an absolute haul to part with a top-two defenseman in the NHL. It's hard to understate what Hughes means to this team. He is very much the heart and soul of the Canucks. Vancouver, understandably, won't make a move for the sake of it. Even if he runs down his contract, this is not “a bad deal is better than no deal” situation.
This offer from the Red Wings gives them everything they could want. Nate Danielson is a workhorse sort of player who can be depended on in all situations. He has the potential to be a 50-60 point center on the second line who can be a leading penalty killer.
J.T. Compher is in the deal mostly for financial reasons. However, he gives the Canucks a more established option who can also play on the wing. He hasn't had the best experience with the Red Wings, but a fresh start in Vancouver could help reignite the sort of effort he gave the Colorado Avalanche a few years back.
Albert Johansson is an intriguing prospect. He is currently a third-pairing defenseman, and that may be his ceiling. However, he has looked more than competent in a top-four role. In fact, he has turned in favorable performances against the likes of David Pastrnak and Connor McDavid. He is an intriguing defender for the Canucks to develop.
The Canucks could want a more surefire prospect, and if that's the case, Axel Sandin-Pellikka would be inserted in here instead. Either way, Vancouver addresses its abysmal center depth, adds a young defenseman, and picks up important draft capital. If Hughes elects not to re-sign, they could certainly do worse than this trade offer.
