The Vancouver Canucks officially turned the page on a franchise-defining era Friday night, finalizing a blockbuster trade that sent captain and Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild.
In return, Vancouver acquired center Marco Rossi, winger Liam Ohgren, defenseman Zeev Buium, and a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, a major overhaul signaling a long-term rebuild.
Canucks released a statement in which the President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford acknowledged both the emotional weight of moving Hughes and the organizational reasoning behind the decision.
“We would like to thank Quinn for his time with the Vancouver Canucks,” said Rutherford in a statement. “Quinn is a great person, a great player, and one of the greatest Canucks of all time. With the circumstances surrounding JT and now Quinn, we are fortunate to acquire these very good young players from Minnesota. They will be a key part of the rebuild that we are currently in, giving us a bright future moving forward. The hockey club will continue to build with talented young players using that as a blueprint to become a contender sooner rather than later.”
Rutherford’s comments provided clarity on the franchise’s direction, framing the Hughes trade not as an isolated move, but as part of a broader reset following multiple major roster decisions.
Hughes leaves Vancouver after being the most accomplished defenseman in franchise history, with a career record of 432 points in 459 games across eight seasons. At just 26 years old, his resume already includes a Norris Trophy from the 2023-24 season, when he posted 17 goals and 92 points.
Hughes still had two years remaining on his contract at a $7.85 million cap hit and while several teams were reportedly involved in discussions, Minnesota emerged as the eventual winner after what Rutherford described internally as a limited auction process.
Now, the Canucks turn their attention to the future. Vancouver will play its first game of the post-Quinn Hughes era Sunday morning against the New Jersey Devils, beginning a five-game road trip that serves as the first tangible step in a rebuild designed to reshape the franchise for years to come.
