The Detroit Red Wings have reportedly been keeping a close eye on Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes’ future. This season could be a make-or-break one for the Canucks. If they fail to make the playoffs, it could be detrimental to their chances of re-signing him this July.
Hughes is under contract until the end of the 2026-27 season, but he can sign an extension as of July 1, 2026. However, there’s also the chance that the Canucks explore possible trades in the summer of 2026 if he decides he wants to move on from the organization.
Canucks Are Aware Hughes Holds the Cards
In a recent article from Ben Kuzma of The Province, Kuzma suggested that the Red Wings are one of the teams keeping an eye on the Hughes situation this season. Also in the article, Canucks general manager Jim Rutherford explained that Hughes’ future is completely up to him, but the organization knows exactly how valuable he is.
“Obviously, Quinn’s future is so important to this franchise and this city,” Rutherford said Wednesday. “Everybody is aware of it. Everybody will talk about it until we get dizzy. But he doesn’t have to make a decision yet. And sometimes in life, you think something one month and something else the next.”
It’s clear the Canucks understand Hughes holds all the cards here. Yes, he’s under contract with them and will continue to play for the organization. However, when it comes to a contract extension and negotiations, it’s all up to the player. That said, there is one area where the Canucks do have some leverage, and that’s the fact Hughes doesn’t have a contract clause. If he doesn’t agree to an extension with the club, they could choose to trade him anywhere they see fit, in a deal that benefits the organization as a whole.
Red Wings Can Fix 2018 Draft Mistake
As Kuzma mentioned in his article, the Red Wings could have a chance to fix a terrible mistake they made during the 2018 NHL Draft. Detroit had the sixth overall pick, while the Canucks selected right after at seventh. When it was Detroit’s turn, they picked Filip Zadina, a forward out of the QMJHL by way of Czechia. He spent six seasons in the NHL, five with Detroit, playing a total of 262 games and scoring 91 points before leaving for Europe during the 2024-25 season.
Vancouver, meanwhile, selected Hughes at seventh overall. He has spent seven years in the NHL, all with the Canucks, appearing in 433 games and scoring 409 points. In fact, during the 2023-24 season alone, Hughes put up 92 points, more than Zadina had in his entire NHL career.
Kuzma put it best: “They somehow passed on Hughes, whose emerging game of sublime skating and laser-like passing was already drawing comparisons to Bobby Orr, to select winger Filip Zadina sixth overall.”
If the Canucks are eventually forced to trade Hughes, the Red Wings will be one of the top suitors. Unless, of course, the New Jersey Devils throw their hat into the mix, which could make things even more interesting.
Red Wings Among Teams Monitoring Quinn Hughes’ Next Move