Quinn Hughes is on his way to becoming the greatest player in Vancouver Canucks history.

Already the best defenceman in franchise history, Quinn Hughes is well on his way to becoming the greatest player the Vancouver Canucks have ever had. The only Norris Trophy winner in franchise history, Hughes is hitting milestone numbers at paces not seen since before he was born. While he still has a way to go before he can be compared to the players who have their numbers retired, Hughes' remarkable career so far is bringing him closer to being in that conversation. 

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As mentioned, Hughes continues to reach career benchmarks at speeds rarely seen in NHL history. Last night against the Anaheim Ducks, he became the third fastest defenceman in NHL history to hit 300 assists, behind only Bobby Orr and Brian Leetch. Hughes also holds the record as the fastest defenceman to hit 200 assists and is just 11 away from being the Canucks all-time leader for assists by a defenceman. Despite only playing 376 games, Hughes has already cemented his name multiple times in the NHL record book and doesn't look like he is slowing down anytime soon. 

Hughes has always been a special talent but has kicked his game into high gear the last three seasons. Since the start of the 2022-23 campaign, he ranks 20th in points with 180 and fourth in assists with 154 across the NHL. Hughes also sits first in both those categories among defencemen and is one of two players, the other being Cale Makar, who is over a point per game. These numbers show that Hughes has not only established himself as one of the best defencemen currently in the NHL but also as one of the league's elite players who should be in the Hart Trophy conversation this season. 

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The question now is, what will it take for Hughes to become the greatest player in franchise history? There are a couple of routes to achieving this feat. The first one is obvious, which would bring a Stanley Cup to Vancouver. If Hughes can captain this team to their first Stanely Cup in franchise history, not only will his number be automatically retired, but he will top the list once he finally decides to hang up the skates. 

In the case that he doesn't win a Stanley Cup, which is hopefully an unlikely scenario, setting the franchise record for assists would put him at the top of the list. Now, this will not be an easy feat as he would need to surpass the 830 mark, which has only been done six times by defensemen in NHL history. While it will be a challenge to get to the number, it seems like an unwise move to bet against Hughes, who continues to level up his game season after season. 

Without a doubt, Hughes is already one of the greatest players in franchise history. The Canucks have never had a player like Hughes before and owe a big debt of gratitude to the Detroit Red Wings, who, for some reason, passed on him during the 2018 NHL Draft. If Hughes can continue to produce at the same pace as Hockey Hall Of Famers, he will finish his career as the greatest player in Vancouver Canucks history.