Ex-Canucks captain Quinn Hughes hints at future plans
Ex-Vancouver Canucks star Quinn Hughes could finally put questions about his long-term future to rest this summer.
The 26-year-old defenceman is shifting into offseason mode after his Minnesota Wild were eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hughes has just one more year remaining on his contract and is set to become a UFA next summer.
Vancouver traded Hughes with the expectation that he wouldn’t sign with the Canucks. The Wild were willing to take a chance trading for Hughes, knowing that he wasn’t locked into a long-term deal.
It was a risky bet by the Wild, but Hughes appears open to inking a new deal with Minnesota as soon as this summer.
“I really like it here,” Hughes said in his end-of-season availability. “I would definitely be open to re-signing. We’ll see what [Wild GM] Billy [Guerin] wants to do.
“I think I can say that I really like it here. I love the team, I love the city and the fans. Being in that locker room, it was a special group. Would definitely be open to re-signing here with the guys that we have in the room and the people we have in the room.”
A special group.
2025-26 Exit Interviews Ā» https://t.co/ZjFK2duHr7 pic.twitter.com/6UXzJQoNUV
ā Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) May 15, 2026
There is no doubt that the Wild are in a much better spot than the Canucks when it comes to on-ice success. Minnesota finished seventh in the NHL this past season, while Vancouver ended their season dead last in the standings.
If Hughes wants to win, Minnesota wouldn’t be a bad place to lay down some roots on his next contract. Outside of wanting to win, it appears that Hughes got along quite well with the Minnesota staff. He shouted out a few names in his end-of-season presser.
“A lot of trust with Billy [Guerin] as well, and I love [head coach John Hynes], [assistant coach Jack Capuano] and the coaching staff,” Hughes said. “I just think it’s a great spot, a great situation for myself.”
While it appears the Wild are in a good place with their current staff, the Canucks have embarked on a massive retooling of their hockey ops this summer. GM Patrik Allvin was fired early into the offseason, with Ryan Johnson taking his place, and the Sedin brothers have been promoted to co-presidents.
The future of head coach Adam Foote is unclear after a very disappointing first season behind the Vancouver bench.
It’s not a slam-dunk that Hughes will put pen to paper with the Wild this summer, but those comments seem to indicate that it’s a definite possibility.