Elliotte Friedman shoots down Canucks’ fans dreams of bringing Hughes brothers to Vancouver

It's been a tough year for Vancouver Canucks fans.

One year removed from a tremendous regular season and playoff run that saw them fall one game short of an appearance in the Western Conference Finals, Vancouver missed the postseason altogether. The J.T. Miller-Elias Pettersson rift created far too much drama, and the team was never able to recover.

One of the few positives in 2024-25 was the play of superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes. The captain was dominant all season long, even while battling through various injuries. However, even more drama came about when President Jim Rutherford hinted at Hughes wanting to play with his brothers during his year-end media availability on Tuesday.

That would either mean Quinn Hughes joining Jack and Luke in New Jersey or the Canucks somehow bringing the two brothers to Vancouver. Canuck fans undoubtedly prefer the second option; however, Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman quickly shot down that dream scenario during Wednesday's edition of "32 Thoughts: The Podcast."

"I think the New Jersey Devils know that Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes aren't really eager to be traded to the Vancouver Canucks," Friedman said (1:12:50).

Jack Hughes is locked in with five years remaining on an eight-year, $64,000,000 contract in New Jersey, while Luke Hughes is a pending RFA in the final season of his three-year, $2,775,000 entry-level deal with the Devils.

The Canucks face an offseason full of uncertainty as they attempt to please Quinn Hughes

The Vancouver Canucks have plenty of questions that need to be answered this summer.

Star winger Brock Boeser is a UFA and appears likely to walk out the door for nothing, leaving a big hole in Vancouver's forward group. Then there's star center Elias Pettersson and netminder Thatcher Demko, who have both struggled in recent years and could find themselves on the trade block.

Most importantly, Quinn Hughes has two years remaining on his six-year, $47,100,000 contract. The 25-year-old still won't be eligible for an extension until July 1, 2026, though rumors are swirling about his potential departure, especially if the Canucks don't improve in 2025-26.

Not to mention, Head Coach Rick Tocchet is without a new contract, creating uncertainty behind the bench. Patrik Allvin and Jim Rutherford have a plethora of critical decisions to make this offseason, and it could play a massive factor in whether Quinn Hughes will stay in Vancouver for the long haul.