‘I Thought He Was Half Asleep Sometimes’: Maple Leafs’ Troy Stecher Explains Wild Defenseman Quinn Hughes’ Incredible Focus

Troy Stecher knows Quinn Hughes as well as anyone on the Maple Leafs’ roster. The two shared a dressing room in Vancouver when Hughes first arrived in the NHL, and Stecher has not forgotten the early impression the young defenceman made.

“I was fortunate to play with him in Vancouver when he first came to the league, and I think he kind of opened everybody’s eyes of how good he really was,” Stecher said on Thursday. “The biggest thing I think with him is he doesn’t allow players necessarily to close the time and space on him. I feel like everybody’s in containment mode with him, and that allows him space on the ice to use his creativity. The way he skates, the way he sees the ice, his edge work is world class. He’s an impressive player.”

Hughes is expected to be a primary focus for Toronto when the Minnesota Wild visit Scotiabank Arena on Thursday. 

Stecher, speaking before Toronto’s game against Minnesota, was also asked about Hughes’s pending unrestricted free agency. Stecher, who has seen him navigate external pressure before, was blunt about how little seems to affect him.

“The thing with Quinn is I don’t think anything bothers him,” Stecher said. “Even during a game, like between periods, I thought he was half asleep sometimes. Just staring off in the distance. But it’s a hard guy to read, man. Once you get to know him as an individual and you kind of build a little bit of friendship, you understand who he is as a person. But as a hockey player, I’m still trying to figure out how he’s able to kind of turn it on and off like a light switch. It’s pretty impressive.”

For a Leafs team searching for traction 20 games into the season, containing that switch-flipping ability will be critical. Stecher’s firsthand experience gives the Leafs a unique window into how Hughes operates under scrutiny, both on the ice and away from it. The veteran defenceman made clear that the plan is not to eliminate Hughes entirely, but to limit the time and space he has used to dominate games throughout his career.

Hughes is in the final year of a six-year contract that pays him $7.85 million annually and is eligible to sign a contract extension, which he has not done with the Wild.

Based on Stecher’s anecdote, it’s clear to see that talks surrounding his future don’t bother him. 

See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.