By: Trent Leith / December 13, 2025 Welcome to Trent’s Train of Thought, a series that, instead of diving deep into one topic, touches on several. But not this time, this time we have one topic. This edition has thoughts on some trade that the Canucks made on Friday night.
So, Rutherford had a feeling Quinn would leave 1.5 years ago. It was made clear this off-season that Hughes was unlikely to re-sign in Vancouver. Knowing this, Rutherford and Allvin apparently decided they had the most leverage for a trade in December/January. That’s when the memo goes out, that’s when rumours start flying. Word is, Minnesota made far and away the best offer. Canucks brass worried about losing value as time went on. So they pounced.
Honestly, I think management played this well. With hindsight, Rutherford 100% meant to say Quinn was leaving to start bracing us. He started to get us talking so we wouldn’t be blindsided when it inevitably happened.
If it’s true Quinn made it clear he wasn’t re-signing, they did a good job. The Canucks return was Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium and a 2026 first-round pick. Essentially, an A prospect, a B prospect, a 25-year-old 2C and a first-round pick.
We all have heard it 1000 times, we were never going to win a Hughes trade, but I think this is as well as you could do. There is a rarity to players like Quinn, and you’ll never recoup the value that comes with that rarity. But knowing Quinn is leaving eitherway, it’s best to let him go now for a haul. Why not in the off-season when they found out what Quinn was going to do? Well, two things come to mind.
- What if the Canucks start the season like a rocket-sled on rails? What if, by some miracle, the Canucks shed of the JT drama were contenders? Quinn might stay. If you can throw one last pitch his way, you need to take it.
He was the best player to ever put on a Canucks jersey. You have to give it everything you have before you trade him. - This is the biggest trade in franchise history. The return of this trade will set the course of the team for the next decade. That isn’t something you rush. It’s clear the Canucks didn’t make a panic move, but slow-played this to the point fans were nearly wishing for Hughes to be traded to have it over with.
I don’t like it. In fact, I hate it. I am gutted that the Canucks have lost Quinn Hughes. I am choked at the floundering this team has done for over a decade. I am furious that the last two captains have been traded. I’m pissed that I can’t cheer for good hockey. It hurts to see a guy like Quinn go, but it’s the right path forward. This iteration of the team just didn’t work; it’s time to try again.
It sounds like management agrees. Our rebuild might finally be here.