With the season just around the corner, many Vancouver Canucks fans are waiting for the team to name a new captain.
And according to multiple reports, defenceman Quinn Hughes is the frontrunner to don the C.
On the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, hosts Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman discussed who they expect to become the Canucks’ new leader, and there was little doubt that it would be Hughes.
“I got to tell you, the money is on Quinn Hughes as captain of the Vancouver Canucks,” Friedman said. “I like it. I think Hughes really cares. To me, your captain has to care, like really care, and I think that guy really cares.”
Intel from CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal also points to the 23-year-old being a likely choice as captain.
“I’m getting a lot of texts lately,” Dhaliwal said Thursday on Donnie and Dhali. “People keep telling me that Quinn Hughes is going to be the new captain of the Canucks.”
Who will be the #Canucks next captain?
The guys speculated on who they think it could be.https://t.co/h4e2SKM7eJ pic.twitter.com/HptcLq5rqj
— Donnie & Dhali (@DonnieandDhali) September 7, 2023
Dhaliwal called in to Halford and Brough on Sportsnet 650 Friday morning and reiterated his report.
“It looks like, guys, it is going to be Quinn Hughes,” said Dhaliwal.
Back in May, Canucks coach Rick Tochhet was asked about Hughes’ leadership abilities in an interview on the Missin’ Curfew with Shane O’Brien and Scottie Upshall.
“Huggy has really made that [upward] trajectory to be a captain. He’s done some things that are uncomfortable,” Tocchet said. “He’s said some things that are uncomfortable that you have to do to say to teammates, or to a coach, or to put your balls on the line. That’s what captains do.”
Hughes, who was drafted seventh overall by Vancouver in 2018, had a career-best season last year, netting seven goals and 69 assists, for a total of 76 points over 78 games.