The Vancouver Canucks missed the playoffs last year and made a ton of changes in the process. JT Miller and Rick Tocchet are gone, but there are still expectations in Western Canada. Canucks captain Quinn Hughes has two years left on his contract, with speculation that he will join his brothers Luke and Jack on the New Jersey Devils. Quinn spoke with Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukaskas about Jack's comments about playing together.
“I don't even think it’s a big deal,” Quinn said on the 32 Thoughts podcast. “What's he supposed to say? That he doesn’t want to play with me? Like, he's not going to say that. But I would love to play with both of them.”
The Canucks need to improve to keep their captain after the 2026-27 season. He has not asked for a trade, but he has also left plenty of doubt about his long-term future with the organization. With two of the three Hughes brothers already together, it would not take much to get them all together.
Quinn Hughes won the Norris Trophy as the top defenseman in 2024 and could have won it again in 2025 if not for an injury. His contract has been excellent value for the Canucks since he signed for $7.85 million per year in 2021. The next contract will be one of the biggest in the league, whether he stays in Vancouver or lands in New Jersey.
The Canucks should be making every change necessary to ensure Hughes stays and dominates their blue line for the rest of his career. While they may not be Stanley Cup contenders in 2026, they can turn things around quickly with a better season from Elias Pettersson.
The Canucks open the season on October 9 at home against the Calgary Flames. They play the Devils on December 14 in New Jersey and January 23 at home.
