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Canucks win easy in Anaheim on big night for Quinn Hughes

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
|
Nov 6 2024, 5:49 am
Canucks win easy in Anaheim on big night for Quinn Hughes
Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images

Quinn Hughes clearly wasn’t satisfied with winning the Norris Trophy. Not only has the Vancouver Canucks defender solidified himself as an early NHL MVP candidate, but he joined some rarified company during a 5-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night.

Hughes picked up an assist on three of the five Canucks goals, giving him 300 assists in his so-far illustrious career.

It took him just 376 games to get to 300 career assists, making him the third fastest defenceman in NHL history to get to that mark. Only Bobby Orr and Brian Leetch did it faster.

“Obviously I’m very fortunate, it’s been a lot of fun playing here in Vancouver,” Hughes told Sportsnet’s Dan Murphy after the game. “I’ve made a lot of great friendships and I’ve played with a lot of great players. There’s a lot of people that have contributed to that.”

“I’m glad Petey got that because that doesn’t go in without him standing in front. That was a great screen.”

“I just feel very fortunate and lucky to have the great teammates I’ve had. It’s been a fun six years.”

The Canucks had perhaps one of their biggest whiffs at the NHL Draft back in 1986. They selected Dan Woodley seventh overall, who played five career NHL games.

Leetch went ninth overall to the New York Rangers. He would go on to post more than 1000 NHL points, along with leading the Rangers to a Stanley Cup win over the Canucks in 1994.

The Canucks have been one of the most cursed franchises in NHL history. It isn’t a hyperbole to say that drafting Hughes seventh overall in 2018 may go down as one of the greatest moments in club history.

Canucks’ Lankinen chasing Captain Kirk

Thatcher, who?

Okay, no one has forgotten about Thatcher Demko, who was runner-up for the Vezina Trophy last season, but Kevin Lankinen has more than eased the pain of his absence.

Lankinen stopped 21 of 22 shots in Vancouver’s win over the Ducks on Tuesday night.

“He’s been fantastic,” Hughes said postgame. “It’s not easy missing a Vezina goalie, and Demmer’s not only fantastic and one of the best goalies in the league, but he’s a fantastic person. He’s a leader on this team.”

“For Kevin to come in here and step up and be a rock for us, it’s been great and Arty’s been great too. We’ve got a great tandem.”

This has been one of the best starts by any Canucks goaltender in franchise history. With the win on Tuesday night, Lankinen has now picked up points in each of his first eight starts this season (6-0-2).

He’s one game away from tying a franchise record set by Kirk McLean, who picked up at least a point in nine straight games to begin the 1991-92 season (8-0-1).

The longest point streak by a Canucks goaltender at any point of the season was set by Roberto Luongo. The Hall of Famer went a whopping 21 games without a regulation loss in 2010-11 (16-0-5).

Hughes has an early MVP case

Yes, it’s early, but Hughes has undoubtedly been one of the best players in the NHL this season.

While Cale Makar picked up the first star of the month in October with 19 points in 11 games, defensively his game has been average.

Hughes didn’t have the offensive numbers in October with only eight points in nine games, but he’s continued to cement himself as one of the most complete players in hockey.

The reigning Norris winner, despite facing the opposition’s best players on a nightly basis, continues to heavily tilt the ice in the Canucksā€™ favour.

At even strength this season, the Canucks are outscoring the opposition 13-4 with Hughes on this ice. His expected-goals percentage of 67.8% suggests that his ice-tilting prowess is no fluke, as that mark is third-highest among all NHL defencemen. Only Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Walker, who play on the same pair with the Carolina Hurricanes, have better expected-goals percentages.

By some measures, Hughes has been the best player in the NHL this season.

The website HockeyStatCards.com gives each player an “Average Game Score” based on regular stats like goals and assists, while also including possession-based stats like expected goals. They have Hughes as the best player in the NHL so far this season.

Hughes Gamescore Canucks

HockeyStatCards.com

Hughes won the Norris largely because of the fact that he registered 92 points last season to lead all defencemen. However, he’s performing one one of the best defensive defenceman in the NHL this season as well.

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