The Vancouver Canucks' rebuild has begun, and their newest additions will go a long way toward developing a new era.
The Quinn Hughes Era in Vancouver came to a shocking end Friday night.
The Canucks sent their captain out of town to the Minnesota Wild in a surprise trade. While the Hughes side of the deal has plenty of drama around it, considering there's been about half a year of speculation about his future, the Canucks' return is just as interesting – if not more so.
Along with a 2026 first-round draft pick, the Canucks acquired rookie blueliner Zeev Buium, young center Marco Rossi and promising power winger Liam Ohgren. The Wild traded some of their top players under 25 years old, giving the Canucks an outstanding base to build around as they look to enter a new era in Vancouver.
And yes, they're now using the word, "rebuild."
"With the circumstances surrounding JT (Miller) and now Quinn, we are fortunate to acquire these very good young players from Minnesota," Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said in the trade announcement. "They will be a key part of the rebuild that we are currently in, giving us a bright future moving forward.
"The hockey club will continue to build with talented young players using that as a blueprint to become a contender sooner rather than later."
When you trade a top-two defenseman of the generation, you're almost certainly going to lose the deal. It's an inevitability. Hughes is a borderline generational defenseman who has rivalled Cale Makar for much of the last half-decade.
With that said, the return Vancouver managed to get was quite impressive.
Rossi was the ninth overall pick in 2020. Ohgren was selected 19th overall in 2022. Buium was a 2024 first-rounder, picked 12th overall. Those are three recent first-rounders, two of whom were top 15, along with another first-round draft pick in June 2026.
Here's more on each player the Canucks received.
Zeev Buium, D
No one is going to replace Hughes on the Vancouver blueline, but adding Buium softens the blow.
Buium is an incredibly mobile, silky smooth, skilled defenseman who can run an NHL power play today, and he's not even 21 yet. On pace for nearly 40 points as a rookie this season, Buium is already an effective offensive defenseman. He currently has three goals and 11 assists for 14 points in 31 games.
Buium has the hands to evade pressure and the skating ability to transition the puck up ice with efficiency. His confidence with the puck will only grow as he matures into the more all-around defenseman that he has the potential to be.
His defensive zone play has been up and down to start his first NHL season, but at every level from the UAS Hockey National Team Development Program to the NCAA, Buium has shown the ability to drive positive offensive results with his mobility and intelligence. Buium's ability to read the play at both ends of the ice is an incredible asset that resembles the Canucks' now-former captain.
He isn't Quinn Hughes, and he likely won't fully replace him, even if he gets to his full potential. But he will be one heck of a defender. He projects as a top-pair defenseman who can run a highly effective power play.
Marco Rossi, C
In the summer, Rossi reportedly went through strenuous contract negotiations with the Minnesota Wild. After a long stretch of doubt, he agreed to a three-year deal worth $5 million per season.
Coming off a 60-point season, Rossi is once again putting up very solid numbers, on pace to eclipse 50 points once again despite missing some time with injury. He's at four goals and 13 points in 17 games so far.
Rossi is a bit of an undersized center at 5-foot-9 and 182 pounds. But he leans into his intelligence to dictate play.
His understanding of how to leverage his size to get inside defenders along the wall or slip past defensemen on the forecheck makes him effective. He combines that intelligence with some silky mitts and quick feet.
Rossi showed last year he has the potential to be a 25-goal scorer and an excellent playmaker who helps elevate his teammates.
In Minnesota, Rossi played alongside a variety of players, including Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy. Rossi always seemed to be the player who helped get teammates going if they were dragging a bit.
Liam Ohgren, LW
We have yet to see Ohgren's potential make a true impact at the NHL level.
His offensive game has produced at the AHL level, but the 21-year-old is still working on finding his footing in the NHL. His power-forward, north-south game will be a very nice addition to the Vancouver Canucks' pipeline – they desperately need his style of play.
Ohgren has a very heavy shot that makes him a dangerous player on the rush and on the power play. His speed and tenacity also make him an asset on the forecheck, pestering defenders down low and imposing himself physically.
When he is at his best, Ohgren is a player shot out of a rocket, looking to crash and bang away from the puck and fire bombs on net when he does have it.
Minnesota Wild Clearly Have The Stanley Cup In Their Sights With Hughes Trade
The Minnesota Wild going all-in might be an understatement with this massive trade for superstar NHL defenseman Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks.
What Should We Expect From The Canucks' Additions Right Now?
Buium and Rossi should step into the lineup immediately. Buium could very well find a spot on the top pair in short order. His ability offensively should allow him to step into the role vacated by Hughes on the power play.
The Canucks needed another center, playing David Kampf and Aatu Raty as their top-line pivots in recent games while Elias Pettersson has dealt with a minor injury. Rossi could find himself as the team's No. 1 or 2 center upon arrival.
He's also been out of the lineup since mid-November due to injury, but he's close to a return. The Cancuks could welcome Rossi in by playing him alongside a top winger, such as Brock Boeser and Conor Garland.
Ohgren is an interesting case. He's been playing about 10 minutes a night for the Wild, but Vancouver might be inclined to give him some run in the middle six while their forward corps deals with injuries. Adding his physicality and goal-scoring could be a boon for the Canucks, which need a bit of both.
It's a tough trade to make, but the Canucks did extremely well with this deal. It's sad to see a franchise great and Norris-winning defenseman walk out the door, but Vancouver did better than just about anyone thought they would.
With the way things are trending, the Canucks may have kick-started their next era for a year-and-a-half of Hughes. With the relationship seemingly souring, this was a masterpiece of a deal for the Vancouver front office.
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