Canucks: A Safe Hughes Is A Trophy Winner

Canucks Captain

One season away from the Canucks offering him the keys to their vault — no guarantee he accepts it and sticks around — Quinn Hughes will have a massive pre-contract-year season.

The only thing potentially holding him back is health, and with a little more bulk in the Vancouver line-up, he should feel a bit more protected.

If anyone takes physical liberties with Hughes this season, it’s bad for two obvious reasons. It means he’d be more susceptible to injuries and it would mean the Canucks lack chemistry and identity.

No one can push around or take cheap shots with this captain. Period.

Cue Evander Kane, Drew O’Connor, Tyler Myers, Kiefer Sherwood, Derek Forbort and all the rest.

The aggressive pack mentality, the winning formula exhibited by the Florida Panthers the last two seasons, is rare these days in the kinder, gentler NHL.

The Canucks could take a page or two from that book. (See Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube, 7th all-time on the NHL’s penalty minutes list, talk about the topic at the 33-minute mark of this exclusive interview.)

In the meantime, “Huggy” can plan to build on his outstanding game and his statistical contributions. It wouldn’t hurt to have a consistently healthy Filip Hronek on his right.

Hughes and Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar, last season’s Norris Trophy winner, seem to be separating themselves from the pack. An aging group of elite NHL blueliners and former Norris winners includes 35-year-old Erik Karlsson of the lowly Pittsburgh Penguins, 35-year-old Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators, and soon-to-be 35-year-old Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

21-year-old D-man Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens is skating his way into prominence, but his all-around game and output isn’t there yet compared to Makar and Hughes.

These two could go on a run.

Hughes is poised. Last season he missed 14 games due to injury. His points-per-game, 1.117, was just a small fraction behind his PPG the previous season when he won the Norris while playing in all 82 games.

Hughes could use some help staying healthy, proof that individual awards are earned by teams.

As it stands, Hughes is our favourite to win the trophy again and the Canucks will make the playoffs.