Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes has achieved something that few defenseman have before.
EDMONTON -- For as special of a player that Evan Bouchard is, he hasn't (yet) achieved the heights of Paul Coffey.
It's true that the Edmonton Oilers blueliner has reached a few milestones that now have him in the conversation of being one of the best offensive defensemen that the Oilers have ever had play for them. It can also be true that there are other defenders who are achieving great things across the league.
Quinn Hughes.The Vancouver Canucks have one such defenseman - Quinn Hughes. Hughes is having a tremendous season for the Oilers Pacific Division rivals. In 78 games this year he has 17 goals, 71 assists, and 88 points while playing 24:42 a night.
He now owns a distinction only held by two other defensemen in the NHL - Hughes has collected 200 assists over a three year period. The only other defensemen to do that? Bobby Orr and the aforementioned Coffey.
That's the list. That's certainly taking things to a Norris-Trophy level for the young defenseman.
For sake of comparison - Bouchard has 128 assists over his last three seasons, including this one. Criticize his defensive game all you want, you don't achieve a milestone like that by luck or chance.
The Oilers play the Canucks next this coming Saturday night - where they hope to extract reciprocity for the embarrassing defeats they suffered at the hands of the Canucks during the first part of the season.
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