The Athletic Hockey Show Is Quinn Hughes on his way out of Vancouver?
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Dec 8, 2025 Thomas Drance, a Vancouver-based hockey writer and Canucks reporter, dives deep into the swirling trade rumors surrounding star defenseman Quinn Hughes. He discusses the complexities of Hughes' future, including family dynamics and market conditions. The conversation shifts to the Canucks' disappointing season and potential rebuild strategies, weighing whether trading Hughes now is wise. Plus, Drance evaluates the team's goaltending issues and reflects on award races, including front-runners like Kael Makar and coaching impacts in the league.
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Hughes' Leverage Shapes Canucks' Strategy
- Quinn Hughes' extension eligibility on July 1 creates a major leverage point that will shape Vancouver's next moves.
- Thomas Drance says the player's preference and timing will likely drive whether the Canucks trade him or keep him.
Cap Landscape Elevates Draft Development
- The flat-cap era and rising cap space changed trade dynamics and magnified the value of draft development.
- Drance argues teams will rely more on developing talent because elite free agents will be harder to acquire cheaply.
Don’t Rush Elite-Player Trades
- Teams should recognize that elite players like Hughes retain high trade value even close to free agency.
- Drance suggests organizations can still extract massive returns by timing and packaging trades properly.