The Washington Capitals have emerged as a trade candidate for Canucks captain Quinn Hughes.
With many quick to tie Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes to teams like the New Jersey Devils and the Detroit Red Wings, teams such as the Washington Capitals have fallen to the wayside when it comes to discussing potential trades. However, according to a report by Sammi Silber of DC Backcheck and The Hockey News, the Capitals may be a team to keep an eye on when it comes to a potential Hughes trade.
Per the report, the Capitals are “very interested” in adding Hughes to their organization and have even made calls to Vancouver with questions regarding the defenceman’s fate. Prior to this report, NHL insiders such as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal have brought up the idea of Washington having interest in Hughes.
The Capitals are an interesting team to consider regarding a potential Hughes trade. Washington is a team that seems to be racing closer and closer to a shuttering window with every year that passes. Alex Ovechkin is not getting any younger, despite playing like it at times, and it appears that the Capitals may not be keen on moving on from one particular young player in the event that they engage in trade talks.
“I am told Ryan Leonard, forget about it if the Canucks are going to ask about that guy,” Dhaliwal said on Donnie and Dhali.
Regardless of whether he is traded or not, the noise throughout the fanbase has cut through the walls of Rogers Arena and into the Canucks’ dressing room. Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote confirmed that the locker room is aware of what’s being discussed and how the team has been dealing with it.
"They obviously hear it," Foote said on Wednesday after practice. "When I have been around things like that, you're not talking about it. You're trying not to think about it, but it's there. You can feel it certain days more than others. I can feel it certain days more than others, and these guys are human. They can feel it. It can affect for sure a locker room but give the guys credit. They're in a tough spot, hearing the noise, and they keep coming to work every day and keep doing their job. They're pros, and that's what they are supposed to do. They can hear it. It probably affects some players more than others. But, like I said, I give them a lot of credit for how they are handling it. Coming to work, try to win hockey games and do their jobs."
The Canucks’ first stop on their upcoming road trip will be the most interesting, as Vancouver heads to New Jersey to take on Hughes’ brothers, Jack and Luke, in a Sunday morning matchup against the Devils. New Jersey has been one of the frontrunners to try and acquire Hughes mostly due to the fact that a trade to the Devils would reunite the three brothers. Puck drop is scheduled for 9:30 am PT.
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