The Vancouver Canucks were in a no-win situation. Star defenseman Quinn Hughes recently told them he would not be back after his contract expired. Canucks GM Patrik Allvin was forced to do something he did not want to do and that was trade his best player. He did just that and found a partner in the Minnesota Wild. However, did he in fact get the best of the trade?
What each side acquired in the trade
Vancouver got a load of talent in exchange for Hughes. At the top of the list s center Marco Rossi, a 24-year-old who was drafted by the Wild with the ninth pick overall in 2020. A difficult situation left him with many games missed but it is out of his control. A promising young forward who gives them an explosive player going forward, Rossi has played in 203 NHL games with the Wild, posting 49 goals and 65 assists for 114 points. He is a smaller player but he makes up for it by displaying offensive creativity and a 200-foot game. This season he has four goals and nine assists for 13 points in 18 games. he will be a restricted free agent in 2028-29 and an unrestricted free agent in 2029-30.
Left Winger Liam Ohgren was also part of the deal and comes to Vancouver with a ton of upside. The 18th pick of the Wild in 2022 has yet to see his full potential due to ice time. The 21-year-old is scoreless in 19 games this season and has three goals and four assists for seven points in 47 games. The point production does not look like much but he does have potential and maybe a change of scenery will give him an offensive boost. He will be a restricted free agent in 2027-28.
Perhaps the biggest part of the deal going to the Canucks is defenseman Zeev Buium. The 20-year-old star defenseman has already shown glimpses of greatness as an offensive defenseman, posting four goals and 12 assists for 16 points in 32 NHL games. The 12th pick by Minnesota in 2024 has already shown he can carry a defense and be a power play quarterback. Can he be a replacement for Hughes? Maybe he can lead offensively and defensively. Buium played his first game with the Canucks and posted two points on one goal and one assist. Buium will be a restricted free agent in 2027-28.
Vancouver also got a 2026 first-round pick, which could also be a critical piece going forward.
Minnesota gets Hughes as the main piece of the deal. he is a Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman who is a top-three defenseman in the league and is a high-motor player. The oldest player in this massive trade at 26, he has three goals and 21 assists for 24 points in 27 games this season, including a goal in his Wild debut. he will be a free agent in 2027-28.
The meat and potatoes of the deal
The Canucks get younger in acquiring Rossi, Ohgren, and Buium. Rossi and Ohgren will be a crucial part of the offense going forward and Buium is already settled in. Buium can grab some of the offense left by Hughes and is solid defensively. Vancouver became a more well-rounded team because of the move and it gives them more depth throughout their lineup/
The trade also provides Vancouver with multiple picks in the 2026 NHL Draft. Two first-round picks, and a pick in rounds two, four, and five with plenty of time to add more picks. Rossi, Ohgren, and Buium will be free agents around the same time, but their contracts should not break the bank and could all be brought back at a good price to the team.
However, Hughes may not be so lucky to reign in Minnesota. His talents already make him a high-priced star and he will likely wait to see the success of the team to decide his future. If the team continues to falter he could be on his way out. This would be a massive miss by Minnesota as they gave up a ton to get him. Hughes holds all the cards to the Wild's future success.
Vancouver wins this deal in my opinion. They get three young studs and a high draft pick in the deal. They are the future of the Canucks and are all capable of leading this team to great things. All are also capable of having breakout seasons and that would only help Vancouver in the standings. Right now, Minnesota wins this trade based on current stats. However, the Canucks win this trade long-term. Vancouver got younger and deeper as a result and that could be the two things that propel them back into a playoff spot.