VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Canucks “will do everything we can” to keep Quinn Hughes with them for many years to come, but it may not be that simple if he wants to play with his brothers.
“This franchise cannot afford to lose a guy like Quinn Hughes and we will do everything we can to keep him here, but at the end of the day, it will be his decision,” Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said on Monday.
Hughes, 25, who can become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026-27 season, has expressed a desire to play with his younger brothers, Jack and Luke, who currently play for the New Jersey Devils.
Rutherford said that will be a major factor in keeping the Norris Trophy-winning defenseman in Vancouver long term.
Jack Hughes is a 23-year-old center who has played six seasons with the Devils. Luke Hughes is a 21-year-old defenseman who is playing his second full NHL season in New Jersey.
“He’s said before he wants to play with his brothers, and that would be partly out of our control -- in our control if we brought his brothers here," Rutherford said. "So, there’s many moving parts.”
When asked a follow-up question about possibly having all three Hughes brothers play in Vancouver, Rutherford said: “We got to be careful with tampering, so we’ll just leave it at that. I probably crossed the line anyways."
Hughes, who won the Norris Trophy last season, has two seasons remaining on a six-year, $47.1 million contract ($7.85 million annual average value) signed on Oct. 3, 2021. Selected by Vancouver with the No. 7 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, Hughes has 409 points (59 goals, 350 assists) in 433 regular-season games, which is tied with Alexander Edler for the most by a defenseman in Canucks history. Edler reached the mark in 925 games.
Money will not be an issue in Vancouver's attempt to keep Hughes, Rutherford said.
"The one thing we will be sure of is we will have enough (NHL salary) cap space to offer the kind of contract he deserves," Rutherford said. "That’s the one thing he can prepare for, and it may not boil down to money with him."
The Canucks also confirmed on Monday that defenseman Tom Willander, whom they selected in the first round (No. 11) of the 2023 NHL Draft, plans to return to Boston University in the fall for his junior season after the two sides could not agree on a contract.
“His adviser has informed us that he was going back to school,” general manager Patrik Allvin said. “Our staff has built a great relationship with Tom during the year, and they felt that he was ready to turn pro after two successful years in Boston University. It’s a lot of money for a young player to pass on. That's the information we have here as of last week from his agent, that the intention was to go back to school.”
Willander could have joined the Canucks' American Hockey League affiliate in Abbotsford for the Calder Cup Playoffs, but he has instead flown back to his native Sweden and may play for his country in the upcoming 2025 IIHF World Championship.
“I was aware the Swedish national team had interest in Tom leading up to the World Championship for some pregame tournaments there,” Allvin said.
