ST. PAUL, Minn - The Minnesota Wild made a blockbuster trade with the Vancouver Canucks for defenseman Quinn Hughes.

The cost was steep for Minnesota but it has to be when acquiring a player of that magnitude.

Vancouver will be getting Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren and a 2026 first-round pick.

Rossi, 24, was the Wild's 9th overall pick from the 2020 NHL draft and is coming off 24 goals and 60 points last season. A future top center in the NHL.

Buium, 20, has been compared to Hughes and was the Wild's 12th overall pick from the 2024 NHL Draft. He has played in 31 games this year and has three goals and 14 points. 

Ohgren, 21, was the WIld's 19th overall pick from the 2022 NHL Draft and has struggled this year in limited ice time. He has zero points in 18 games.

Hughes, 26, is under contract for one more season after this one. Despite all the rumors of him joining his two brothers in New Jersey, Hughes has been traded to the Wild.

The 5-foot-10 defenseman has two goals and 23 points in 26 games this year for the Canucks and is their captain.

He won the 2024 Norris Trophy which is given to the top defenseman in the NHL. He led the league with an NHL career-high 92 points (17 goals, 75 assists) in 82 games, and had the most even-strength points (54), second-most power-play points (38) and was fourth in plus/minus (plus-38) among defensemen.

In his career, Hughes has recorded 61 goals, 371 assists, 432 points, 16 power-play goals and 190 power play points in 459 games.

The Wild don't make this move thinking there isn't a chance he signs with them. The Wild are going to have to sell it to him to stay though. His brothers Luke and Jack play for the Devils and the rumor for the longest time was that Quinn is going to sign there.

According to Michael Russo, there has been no assurance given to the Wild that Hughes will extend next summer. But, Wild general manager Bill Guerin does know him well. The U.S. born defender will be on Team USA at the Olympics.

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