The hockey world remains abuzz over Friday's blockbuster trade that sent Quinn Hughes from Vancouver to Minnesota. NHL clubs that failed to land him could shift their focus elsewhere.
NHL fans and pundits are still buzzing over Friday's blockbuster trade in which the Vancouver Canucks sent Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild for Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren and a 2026 first-round pick.
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported the New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers were among six clubs that made "legitimate offers" to the Canucks for Hughes. Other interested clubs included the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes.
The Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals looked into acquiring Hughes, but LeBrun said they weren't willing to part with the assets the Canucks sought in return. According to RG.org's Marco D'Amico, one of them was Capitals prospect Cole Hutson, the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens star Lane Hutson.
LeBrun also reported that some suitors were scared off because the Hughes camp couldn't guarantee that he would sign a long-term extension. Following his first game with the Wild on Sunday, he told reporters he's "extremely open-minded" about the possibility of re-signing with them.
The Devils were often linked to Hughes because his brothers, Jack and Luke, are part of their roster. Steve Ewen of The Province claimed there was "rampant speculation" that the former Canucks captain is intent on signing with the Devils once he's UFA-eligible in July 2027.
New Jersey Hockey Now's James Nichols reported Devils coach Sheldon Keefe admitted the conjecture linking his club to Hughes was difficult for his players to tune out. Defenseman Simon Nemec and center Dawson Mercer were frequently mentioned as possible trade chips heading to Vancouver as part of a package offer.
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A Postmedia report wondered what effect the Hughes trade, and the goalie swap in which the Pittsburgh Penguins traded Tristan Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers for Stuart Skinner on Friday, will have on the trade market.
The report noted the Canucks are still shopping their UFA-eligible players. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues, Seattle Kraken, Sabres, Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators could be prepared to make some moves.
It will also be interesting to see if the clubs that lost out in the Hughes sweepstakes will shift their focus elsewhere.
LeBrun's colleague Peter Baugh believes Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald will continue calling around for help for his injury-ravaged roster. Their biggest need is at forward, and Baugh claimed Fitzgerald had looked into Ryan O'Reilly of the Predators. However, selling clubs are fixing high prices for their tradable assets.
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