The Vancouver Canucks sit in an unusual position this upcoming season. Team captain Quinn Hughes is under contract for two more seasons. However, the chatter this offseason is that Hughes is keen on reuniting with his brothers Luke and Jack.
Jack, unfortunately, is signed with the New Jersey Devils until 2030. But Luke is not. He’s currently and RFA with the Devils looking to lock him up long term. However, there has been some indication that Luke Hughes and the Devils are not that close on a new contract.
That situation is an opportunity the Canucks could capitalize on. So, why not explore a wild trade idea that involves sending Luke Hughes to Vancouver? Such a trade could fulfill a part of Quinn Hughes’ dream, while ensuring the Canucks keep their captain.
Here’s what the trade could look like:
Canucks get:
Luke Hughes, D
Devils get:
2026 first-round pick
Victor Mancini, D
The price the Canucks would pay for Luke Hughes might seem a bit steep. However, there are two factors driving the price. First, Luke is a 21-year-old blue liner with a high ceiling. Some project him to be the Devils’ number-one D-man in a couple of seasons.
Second, the Canucks would pay a premium because he’s Quinn’s brother. So, there’s some added pressure to get a deal done. The Devils could push for a first-rounder, especially knowing that the Canucks would do anything to make Quinn happy.
Luke Hughes Would Make Canucks Blue Line Best in Western Conference
Adding Luke Hughes would give the Vancouver Canucks a third top-pairing blue liner. The club already has Quinn and Filip Hronek. Assuming the Quinn Hughes-Filip Hronek pairing remains intact, Luke Hughes could suit up with Marcus Pettersson on the second unit.
However, a Marcus Pettersson-Luke Hughes second unit could be a top unit in just about any other club. So, the Canucks would roll out two “top” blue line units. That sort of defensive depth would make Vancouver’s D-core the best in the Western Conference.
It’s also worth pointing out that Vancouver would have tremendous offensive contributions form the back end. That’s key as getting scoring depth from the blue line could help offset potential offensive shortcomings from the club’s forward group.
While not ideal, it’s always a great option to have the defense chip in offensively as much as possible. It’s a tantalizing thought to consider how Vancouver could have two offensively gifted D-men on the roster.
Vancouver Would Still Need to Sign Luke Hughes
Here comes the tricky part. Luke Hughes is an RFA. That situation means the Canucks would need to re-sign him upon a trade.
That big question would be the terms attached to a Luke Hughes contract extension. Hughes could be in the $6 to $7 million AAV range at this point in his career. Meanwhile, the Canucks have about $3.2 million in available cap space.
This scenario could necessitate a cap-clearing move. Since it’s unlikely the Devils take a big contract back in the trade for Hughes, the Canucks may need to make another deal elsewhere to clear up sufficient cap space for this upcoming season.
The good news is that it would be just a one-year crunch. Several contracts will be coming off the books next summer, while the salary cap ceiling will increase. So, there club could fit Hughes’ new contract under the cap for the foreseeable future.
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