December 12th, 2025
Alex Rickman
It’s happened. It’s actually happened.
The Vancouver Canucks have traded captain and star defenceman Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for centre Marco Rossi, winger Liam Öhgren, defenceman Zeev Buium, and a 2026 first-round pick.
Rumours had begun swirling about Hughes’ future in Vancouver a while ago, and really started to pick up steam over the last few days. But still, all reports indicated that the Canucks front office was content biding their time and waiting for a deal they wanted for their captain, and that nothing was imminent on that front. Evidently, that was not the case.
While time will tell what comes next, this likely signifies the beginning of a rebuild for the Canucks. In parting with arguably the best player in franchise history with over a year left on his contract for a package consisting primarily of futures, the Canucks have broken from the moves of the recent past that have aimed to ‘stay competitive.’ What comes next with players like Kiefer Sherwood and Evander Kane, and potentially even those with tenure like Brock Boeser and Conor Garland, will truly determine the next step, but the writing appears to be on the wall.
We’ve known for months now that the Canucks have wanted to add a young NHL centre to their ranks who can bolster their ranks down the middle and play in the top six. In Marco Rossi, they’ve found that player. The 24-year-old Austrian immediately boosts the Canucks skill level at their thinnest position. While undersized, Rossi is an undeniable talent and has proven he can produce at the top level, putting up 24 goals and 60 points during the 2024-25 season. Signed for two more years at a $5 million cap hit, Rossi comes with a team-friendly contract that gives Vancouver flexibility and is young enough to be an asset worthy of retaining during a rebuild or trading later on for more futures.
While Liam Öhgren is yet to show too much at the NHL level, it’s clear to see why the Canucks would take interest in the 21-year-old winger. Öhgren has the toolkit to make a strong middle six forward in the near future, playing with responsibility beyond his years and with a shot that could prove valuable at the top flight, along with the production to show for it in Sweden and the AHL. A former first-round pick and still young enough to show plenty more, Öhgren is a player fans should look forward to seeing in Vancouver.
Possibly the most exciting part of this trade is the addition of Zeev Buium, a 20-year-old left-handed defenceman with the potential to one day be a legitimate number one rearguard. A smooth, cerebral player, Buium has everything it takes to be a top-notch two-way defenceman in Vancouver, and could one day be tasked with taking on Hughes’ roles on the top pair and first power play unit. Buium has already shown himself to be plenty capable in his brief NHL tenure, and the sky is the limit for him as he continues his career on the West Coast.
With regard to the pick coming to Vancouver, as well as the Canucks recent past, there is some worry that the pick could be moved out in favour of bringing in a win-now piece. However, with Jim Rutherford actually uttering the word rebuild for the first time with regard to the team's direction, they may prefer to keep the pick and accumulate futures. Should this be the case, this is an exciting draft class to have multiple firsts in. Should Vancouver send out even more assets in exchange for picks, this year’s draft could prove to be an important one towards righting the wrongs of this team's past.
From here, it’s hard to see what exactly is next, but it’s clear that the Canucks are open for business. I would assume that Kiefer Sherwood will be the next player to go, but it’s hard to know for sure where things will go from here. While a few months ago, a Hughes trade in-season felt unthinkable, it has become a reality, proving that anything can happen with the Vancouver Canucks. As Maggie Simpson once said: “This is indeed a disturbing universe.”
Vancouver is going to miss Quinn Hughes. While his final few months here were marred by an underperforming team and constant rumours about his future, it’s hard to deny the incredible talent that Vancouver had in Hughes. From winning the first Norris Trophy in franchise history to being the only player able to make the 2024-25 team remotely watchable, Hughes gave the Canucks some unforgettable moments in his eight years as a Canuck. To the greatest defenceman this team has ever seen, thank you for everything, and all the best in Minnesota.
And at least the Dodgers didn’t get him. Imagine getting Hughes AND possibly adding Tarik Skubal to a team coming off back-to-back World Series wins.