Proposal: Operation Quinn Hughes - How far are you willing to go?

[Canucks LB]

Everybody knows this off-season is the most important for Quinn Hughes, because we have to convince him to stay in a couple years.

The Canucks can’t lose a franchise player for nothing, so this off-season need to do everything in their power to show him we’re on the right path.

Easily the most depth the organization has is in the defence, which would be our best trade pieces.

Which leads to the poll question:

How far are you willing to go This off-season to improve?

 

[PavelBure10]

I am willing to go all in to keep the best player in franchise history. It's been 50+ years to get a defenseman like Quinn Hughes, he's a rare breed. You do whatever it takes to get him to resign longterm.

 

[McDoused]

I'm not really in favor of doing anything to help the Canucks.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

I been trying to find the article (Dobber Hockey?) but I recall the odds of a 15th OA pick turning into a bonafide NHLer (playing at least 100 games) was 70%. There are a lot of other variances as well but I imagine the odds of drafting a legit top 6 talent is slim given the number of busts in this range over the past 7 or so years.

If you can package that 1st rounder for someone who you know can be a perennial 70+ point player then you do it. It is nice to stockpile Lekkerimaki's but it doesn't move the needle in the short-term.

 

[Baby Pettersson]

I think we have no choice but to move one of our top D prospects for help at centre. Major moves are required. Just keep Hughes happy.

 

[Canucker]

For me...I think you have to read the tea leaves during your exit interviews about how you approach the future of Hughes...probably going to have to have some long and hard discussions with him and his agent to gauge what their intentions might be. There haven't been many players that have one brother in the league, let alone two, who also happen to be playing on the same team...it has to factor into the discussions about what Quinn's long term desires might be...if he makes it clear his goal is to play with his brothers, then you deal him and blow this up. If he is at least open to the idea of staying, you do whatever you can to support him and make his decision to stay and re-sign easier. Another factor is likely to be Francesco Aquilini...is he willing to open the purse and spent to the new cap limits? I'm sure he will be open to paying Hughes whatever, but is he willing to spend to the new cap limit? Not saying he can't/won't, but there are a lot of questions that need to be answered.

 

[kanucks25]

As always it depends on who's available and what the exact cost is so it's hard to pick one option.

But I would be fine with packaging our 1sts + prospects like Kud or Mynio for good young top-6 forwards (with Willander or Junior only being trade options if the guy coming back is a legit stud, like a young top line winger).

 

[VanJack]

There simply aren't any top centers available, even if the Canucks had the trading assets, which they really don't.

Wilander, Lekkerimaki and a first rounder is going to get you what? A J.T. Miller type, 30-plus center?

Quinn is probably the greatest player in franchise history. But a lot of contending teams--even ones who've hoisted the Cup like Florida--don't have a d-man like Hughes. You can win without a Hughes or Makar.

So they have no choice but to keep building. By the end of this season--assuming Wilander is introduced into the lineup--they'd be the fifth youngest team in the NHL. Hopefully they'll be more competitive next season. Look at what happened in Washington.

The sad reality if that if Hughes wants to leave--he will. And there's really nothing the Canucks can do about it.

 

[theguardianII]

they'd be the fifth youngest team in the NHL

Only by the current line up. The day of game they usually aren't or weren't. Currently they are listed as being slightly older than average overall on Reference and cap.

They have only TWO players that have played more than 29 games that are 25 and under. Hughes and Hoglander.

16 players over 28 yrs old up to 34 yrs old

Not young.

 

[Zanon]

I'm in favor of trading one of Willander or D-Petey, along with our 1st. It's the only way to stay competitive right now as long as Hughes is on board.

 

[Zanon]

I think we have no choice but to move one of our top D prospects for help at centre. Major moves are required. Just keep Hughes happy.

Agreed. Trade one of Willander or D-Petey, along with our 1st. It's the only way to stay competitive right now.

 

[Peter Griffin]

Every pick/prospect should be on the table to improve the current team. It’s either that or move Hughes and start the rebuild now. No half measures. Allvin needs to become Heisenberg.

 

[Canucks LB]

Every pick/prospect should be on the table to improve the current team. It’s either that or move Hughes and start the rebuild now. No half measures. Allvin needs to become Heisenberg.

A rebuild will never ever happen with his ownership.

If Quinn ever gets traded, it’s gonna be for a retool only

 

[StreetHawk]

There simply aren't any top centers available, even if the Canucks had the trading assets, which they really don't.

Wilander, Lekkerimaki and a first rounder is going to get you what? A J.T. Miller type, 30-plus center?

Quinn is probably the greatest player in franchise history. But a lot of contending teams--even ones who've hoisted the Cup like Florida--don't have a d-man like Hughes. You can win without a Hughes or Makar.

So they have no choice but to keep building. By the end of this season--assuming Wilander is introduced into the lineup--they'd be the fifth youngest team in the NHL. Hopefully they'll be more competitive next season. Look at what happened in Washington.

The sad reality if that if Hughes wants to leave--he will. And there's really nothing the Canucks can do about it.

It also doesn't do you much good if that leaves your window at like 3 years and then come year 2 of the extension where he would likely hold a NMC, he sees things fall apart and wants out.

Plus, you need to give to get and it has to fit into what the other club wants. Jones/RyJo still left CBJ short at C. Only so many teams have some depth at C to make that move.

 

[Peter Griffin]

A rebuild will never ever happen with his ownership.

If Quinn ever gets traded, it’s gonna be for a retool only

Re-tool, re-build, the point is the same.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

Whatever it takes.

If we trade Willander, how difficult will it be to find viable RHD options who can project to play 20ish minutes maybe more a night, is my question? I really like Mancini, but who knows there. What is Hronek like in 3-4 years? Myers is probably out of the Q long-term...

Then you need to find a 2C who can win faceoffs and play in every situation and be somewhat of a distributor to the wings....

Like the players we need are so incredibly niche, it's kind of difficult for me to want to blow it all up. I agree with @Canucker you need to have a serious, long conversation at the exit interview with Quinn to see where his head is at. If he's even iffy on the group, I think you gotta cut bait if you can't find these players this offseason.

For that matter, it'll be a difficult thing to have to trade one of Lankinen/Demko but it's another chip to use if you want to get really...uh...creative.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Massive difference with a retool/rebuild.

A QH trade in a rebuild would likely see us return a high ceiling raw prospect or two along with multiple picks.

A QH trade in a retool would see us target a player with a lower ceiling, but one who is an established NHLer in the 23-25 age range along with a lesser combo of prospects/picks. That mandate to "compete now" is how we would probably end up with a theoretical return of Mercer, Nemec, a mid-late 1st and a 3rd. I fully believe any trade would be seriously underwhelming.

It sounds silly to say this but I would rather have an unsigned QH43 until UFA day in the hopes he re-signs with us than settle for a bunch of shit.

 

[sandwichbird2023]

On the one hand I would do anything and everything to keep Hughes long term, moving any picks/prospects/young roster players. Hughes IS the Canucks, without him we need a major rebuild (which the owner will not approve of anyways).

On the other hand, it really depends on Hughes' mindset. It would be franchise crippling to move all the picks/prospects only for him to walk in 2 seasons. That kind of developments will set a franchise back a decade. If Hughes is deadset on leaving as a UFA in 2 years, you are better off keeping your assets.

It is hard to commit to either path until you know for sure which way Quinn is leaning. Without that info I can't even vote.

 

[NoShowWilly]

Will not sacrifice anything. Treat it like a normal offseason. Too much risk associated with trying to appease a guy we have no guarantee of staying.

If something significant presents itself and makes sense then sure.

 

[supercanuck]

Lekk and Willander are consistently ranked top 15-30 NHL prospects (11 and 14 on TSN, 15 and 18 Sportsnet 23 under 23, etc). I feel like they should have a lot of value if we can find the right team to target. Though, I'd rather trade 25 1st and 26 1st before either of them.

We need a reverse Bo Horvat trade. Raty + 1st for someone else's strong #2 C.

 

[ExarKun80]

Everybody knows this off-season is the most important for Quinn Hughes, because we have to convince him to stay in a couple years.

The Canucks can’t lose a franchise player for nothing, so this off-season need to do everything in their power to show him we’re on the right path.

Easily the most depth the organization has is in the defence, which would be our best trade pieces.

Which leads to the poll question:

How far are you willing to go This off-season to improve?

Bure remains the best player. He played in an era where Huggy would not have survived. Clutching, grabing and dirty hits were the norm. Bure got 58 and 59 goals with destroyed knees at the peak of the dead puck era and dragged a garbage Panthers team(similar to the current canucks) to the playoffs. I like Huggy but he has not shown anything like that yet. Puting points and winning a Norris is great just like it was for the Twins but his canucks legacy will be measured by playoff success.

 

[iFan]

Canucks aren’t close to being contenders and moving our prospects won’t push us into a cup contender. We need to rebuild our entire top 6 well bringing in some size, speed and toughness. If we went all in, it also relies on Demko staying healthy which is a bit of a gamble at this point. UFA pool is pretty weak this year as well. We need to build an entire top line.

 

[iFan]

If Hughes is committed to staying here, you have to look at moving D Petey as you have Hughes Pettersson on the left side. Willander has a spot in the top 4 on the right side. If Hughes isn’t going to commit, I don’t think you can move D Petey as he may be-able to develop into an Edler like D man and that could help with losing Hughes.

 

[VanJack]

Very few teams in the NHL 'trade their way' to a Stanley Cup. Or win it based on the UFA's they sign.

So anyone who thinks that a couple of blockbuster trades will transform the Canucks, and convince Quinn Hughes to stay in Vancouver is, as Burkie used to say: "living in some sort of drug-induced fantasy."

Will the Canucks be challenging for a Cup by the time Hughes contract is up at the end of the 2027 season? Unlikely. But hopefully he sees some of kind of real progress, and is willing to commit to the franchise which drafted him.

But if it doesn't happen.....it would hardly be a shock.

 

[beachcomber]

Trading D-Petey and Willander is just stupid and isn't going to happen.