Elliotte Friedman erupts Canucks fanbase with bombshell Quinn Hughes to Devils trade rumor, potential deal equated to "Edmonton trading Gretzky"

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes has stated in the past his desire to play with his brothers, Jack and Luke, in New Jersey for the Devils. It was earlier reported that the Canucks, who have been listening to trade deals regarding their players, weren't keen on giving up Hughes.

But NHL analyst Elliotte Friedman's latest update surrounding Quinn Hughes linked him to the New Jersey Devils. Speaking on the Saturday Headlines segment on Sportsnet on Saturday, Friedman claimed there has been dialogue between the two teams.

"...Once Vancouver announced that they were open for business, sent that email around to the league, I do believe there was a conversation, at least one, between the Devils and the Canucks about Quinn Hughes," Friedman reported.

"And I stress, I do not believe there is anything imminent. I don't even know that they're anywhere far along. But I do believe that conversation was had about where things stand and where they might be going."

Fans were quick onto the scene, with many feeling that the Canucks were delaying the imminent, while for others, the magnitude of the trade seemed to be too massive.

Here are a few reactions from X:

"This trade with Hughes, IF IT HAPPENS, will be the Canucks equivalent of Edmonton trading Gretzky," a fan wrote.

Cordova Bay

@BayCordova

@DhaliwalSports This trade with Hughes, IF IT HAPPENS, will be the Canucks equivalent of Edmonton trading Gretzky.

"This is like tossing a live grenade on Canucks Twitter," another fan wrote.

Colin in Planning

@ColinBrown23

@DhaliwalSports This is like tossing a live grenade on Canucks Twitter.

"First time anyone has admitted this as more than just speculation," a fan added.

Jordan Spinks

@JordanSpinks42

@DhaliwalSports First time anyone has admitted this as more than just speculation.

"I can’t be the only one just at the point of rip the band aid off and get out over with already," a fan noted.

𝙅𝙖𝙘𝙤𝙗✭

@Pickens3njoyer

@DhaliwalSports I can’t be the only one just at the point of rip the band aid off and get out over with already

"Let’s be clear: nothing is imminent in the way that nothing has been imminent for this franchise since 2011," a fan claimed.

Thomas France

@drancelator

@DhaliwalSports let’s be clear: nothing is imminent in the way that nothing has been imminent for this franchise since 2011.

"Time to reset this entire franchise and pull the trigger," a fan stated.

lemonade hubby

@HubbyLemonade

@DhaliwalSports Time to reset this entire franchise and pull the trigger

Quinn Hughes is currently in the fifth year of his $47.10 million six-year contract he signed with the Canucks. Heading into his final season in 2026-27, Hughes would be eligible to sign a contract extension with the team on July 1, 2026. The extension had been speculated to depend on the Canucks' season.

Elliotte Friedman states New Jersey in a cap crunch situation

To bring in Quinn Hughes, who has a $7.85 million annual average value, the Devils will have to clear out more than the $2.829 million, according to Puck Pedia, they have currently in cap space.

"It should be mentioned with the Devils, because of their injury and cap situation, they're dollar in, dollar out," Friedman added. "So, if they're bringing in somebody, they're going to have to remove people. And I think that's why there's so much time around the Devils. They got a lot going on."

Hughes has turned out to be a generational defenseman and is considered one of the best in the league alongside the Colorado Avalanche's Cale Makar. In 456 career games, Hughes has scored 431 points for the Canucks.