Only Cale Makar was ranked higher than the Vancouver Canucks captain.

NHL Network has dropped their "Top 20 Defensemen Right Now" list for the 2024-25 season, and without surprise, Quinn Hughes is ranked second. The 2024 Norris Trophy winner and Vancouver Canucks captain saw a significant jump from tenth last year to second and now only trails Cale Makar on the list. No other Vancouver defenders made the list, but former Canucks draft pick Gustav Forsling did finish in sixth place. 

The battle between Hughes and Makar is one that will last their entire careers. Makar currently leads Hughes in Stanley Cups and Conn Smythe Trophies, but Hughes is closing the gap now that he has won a Norris Trophy. Hughes does, however, have a leg up on Makar as he became a captain at the NHL level first, with the American-born defender being named Vancouver's captain before the beginning of last season.

Heading into the 2024-25 season, the big question is what Hughes needs to do to lock down the number one spot on next year's list. One would think that if Hughes were once again nominated for the Norris and Makar wasn't, that would do it, but unfortunately, that may not be enough, considering how people around the hockey world view Makar. That being said, while finishing first on a league-wide rankings list is impressive, Canucks fans will be happy if Hughes can replicate his 2023-24 season and lead Vancouver on yet another playoff run in 2024-25. 

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