Anticipation is growing as the 2026 Winter Olympics are just 65 days away. The historic event will take place in Italy, with Milano and Cortina serving as hosts. One of the premier events at this year's games will be the Men's Hockey Tournament, as NHLers are scheduled to participate for the first time since 2014. One player who has already been selected is Vancouver Canucks defenceman Quinn Hughes. The 26-year-old was one of the first six players named by Team USA, joining Boston Bruins' [http://thn.com/boston] Charlie McAvoy as the only other defenceman currently on the roster. While Hughes has had a successful career representing Team USA [http://thn.com/international], a recent interview gave a reminder that he could have been wearing the Maple Leaf this coming February. On Tuesday, the official Olympics website [https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/quinn-hughes-interview-lessons-captaining--canucks-help-team-usa-winter-games-hockey] released an interview with Hughes. In the piece, the Canucks captain discusses playing with his brothers at the games as well as what it is like to wear the "C" in the NHL. The article also touches on Hughes' decision to play for the Americans back in 2015, despite living in Canada and holding dual citizenship. As ZK Goh wrote, "Hughes played youth hockey in Canada, and as a dual citizen was eligible to choose to play for Canada as well. But at 15, he moved back to the United States to play on USA Hockey's National Team Development Program." In Goh's piece, there is also a reference back to a 2015 article [https://www.usahockeyntdp.com/news_article/show/589104] Hughes did with USA Hockey. In the 2015 interview, Hughes said, "Since I was a young kid, I always wanted to play for Team USA,” he said. “It was important for me to represent my country. It is an honor to represent the USA. I know there are many people who would love to wear the jersey. It definitely means I’m representing something more than myself. It’s been a cool experience." Nov 20, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Quinn Hughes (43) shoots during warm up prior to a game against the Dallas Stars at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/effc02d7-96af-4f88-b097-b5185c77c88f.jpeg] Nov 20, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Quinn Hughes (43) shoots during warm up prior to a game against the Dallas Stars at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images Ultimately, it is a fun exercise to imagine Hughes in a Canada jersey. Adding the Norris Trophy winner to Canada's blue line would give the Canadians one of the deepest defence cores in maybe the history of the Winter Olympics. Unfortunately, all Canadians can do now is use their imagination as Hughes elected to represent Team USA a decade ago. Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwr-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks]. Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/]: Keeping Up With The Abbotsford Canucks: November 2025 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/keeping-up-with-the-abbotsford-canucks-november-2025] NHL Insider Throws Bizarre Shot At Canucks Center Elias Pettersson [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/nhl-insider-throws-bizarre-shot-at-canucks-center-elias-pettersson] Tolopilo Heads Home, Höglander Joins The Team As Canucks Practice In California [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/tolopilo-heads-home-hoglander-joins-the-team-as-canucks-practice-in-california] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription?_gl=1*twovkp*_ga*MTk0NDM0Mzk0OS4xNzQ2MjQ0ODA2*_ga_ZET34ZFCGX*czE3NjEyNTE0MDEkbzU3MCRnMSR0MTc2MTI1MjA1MyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/game-day/thn.com/free https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription The Hockey News [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/fef170ca-442a-49a8-9301-4b4f2fcf8737.jpeg] The Hockey News
