Potential Centerpiece Players in Canucks-Devils Trade Blockbuster

Quinn Hughes might be eyeing a family reunion in New Jersey, and it’s got people talking about a potential blockbuster trade with the Devils.

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski thinks there could be an interesting connection between Hughes and Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton. The pieces are starting to line up for what could be a major shake-up for both teams.

“I always figured when the Devils cut ties with Dougie, it would be in service of acquiring Quinn,” Wyshynski said. He’s convinced the two players couldn’t share the same roster.

The Hughes family connection is hard to ignore. Quinn’s brothers Jack and Luke are already with the Devils, and Canucks president Jim Rutherford has openly worried about losing his captain to New Jersey.

Quinn’s still got time left on his contract through 2026-27. But we’ve seen this movie before.

Remember when Matthew Tkachuk wanted out of Calgary? The Flames didn’t sit around waiting – they made a deal with Florida and grabbed MacKenzie Weegar and Jonathan Huberdeau.

Hamilton’s an interesting piece to consider. He’s still one of the NHL’s top 15 defensemen when he’s healthy, though his $9 million cap hit might make some fans nervous.

For Vancouver, losing Hughes would be tough to swallow. But if it’s going to happen, getting Hamilton plus another solid player or high draft pick wouldn’t be the worst outcome.

Here’s the thing about Hughes – he’s probably going to command $14-15 million per season on his next contract. Hamilton’s locked in for three more years at a lower rate.

The Devils have been pretty open about possibly moving Hamilton. If they’re serious about getting all three Hughes brothers together, something’s got to give.

It’s still early days, but this is the kind of trade talk that could heat up fast. Vancouver needs to either lock Hughes down long-term or start thinking about Plan B.