For superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes and his Vancouver Canucks teammates, the 2024-25 season was a nightmare.
Virtually everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Teammates feuding, injuries ravaging the roster and underwhelming performances. As Canucks captain, Hughes had to take it all head-on.
However, the start of a new season brings with it a renewed sense of optimism, and with some new teammates – as well as new Canucks coach Adam Foote – Hughes has a clean slate.
In comments he made to Sportsnet this week, Hughes sounded like someone who is doggedly determined to have a significantly better year instead of worrying about his next contract.
“One thing I’m really good at — or have gotten good at — is I’m very present,” said Hughes, who is heading into the second-to-last season of his contract. “I can’t even sign (a contract extension) for another year, so there’s nothing I can do. As far as the noise (about Hughes’ future), I can handle the noise. That’s why I’m the captain of the team, because I can handle these things and I can play at an elite level and it doesn’t matter what’s going on around me.”
It has to be heartening for Vancouver fans to hear Hughes so confident about handling the noise that’s bound to follow his team this coming year. The real question is, can the Canucks?
With Hughes leading by example, the Canucks look like they can be more focused this season.
To Hughes’ credit, he’s sounding more and more like a realist who accepts the challenge ahead of him – namely, using the adversity that’s almost assuredly coming his way as fuel to get Vancouver back into the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“It can’t always be sunshine and rainbows,” Hughes said. “If you look at everyone in the league, what makes it so special is that there are so many great players, and there is adversity that everyone goes through to get to the ultimate goal. It was a demanding year, but I feel like I grew more from last year than the year I won the Norris (Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman). I learned a lot about myself as a human being and what kind of leader I want to be. What kind of person I want to be.
“You definitely don’t want to live in the past. We’re already on a new season, and that’s where my head is at, and probably after this interview I won’t be talking about last season again. It took me a while (to get past it) because it was really disappointing. More than that, it was just really not fun. It was an exhausting year. But I really do think it’s going to make everyone in our group stronger — mentally stronger. Hopefully, everyone has trained hard and is ready to go. I know I am.”
Even in a down year with only 68 games played, Hughes posted 60 assists and 76 points, which were tied for the second-most in a season during his seven-year NHL career.
With a reinforced and rejuvenated Canucks lineup in front of him, Hughes could conceivably challenge the 92 points he put up in 2023-24. The Hockey News' Yearbook & Fantasy Guide projects he'll get 15 goals, 73 assists and 88 points.
Having a fellow defenseman in Foote as the coach can only work in Hughes’ favor. No one will be more supported by Canucks brass than Hughes is, and regardless of where he’ll be playing a few years from now, Hughes sounds as committed to Vancouver’s cause as anyone. That’s exactly what you want from the player who wears the ‘C’.
“He’s trying to make us a better team,” Hughes said of Foote. “He can teach us and bring us closer. Let’s be honest: we’re not going to be the most-skilled team, but we can have the hardest-working team.”
Not every player thrives on every team. And Hughes is going to have to lead the way for everyone in Vancouver’s dressing room. That includes Elias Pettersson, who's gearing up for what could be a revenge season.
But with Hughes setting the bar of expectations as high as it can go, the Canucks are going to be legitimate contenders next year – not simply to make the playoffs but to finish high in the Pacific Division and to go on a deep playoff run.
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