The Quinn Hughes rumor mill is heating up again - and this time, it's Detroit that's entering the conversation.
After recent speculation connecting the Vancouver Canucks captain to the Toronto Maple Leafs, a new name has emerged: the Detroit Red Wings. And it's not just idle chatter. The idea picked up steam during a recent segment on the Sports Interaction podcast, where analysts DJ Bean and Pete Blackburn dove into what a potential Hughes move could look like - and why Detroit might make the most sense.
“If Quinn Hughes did get traded somewhere that wasn’t New Jersey, the obvious destination would be Detroit, right?” said Bean. “I would love Quinn Hughes in Detroit.”
That’s not just a throwaway line. There’s some logic behind it.
While the dream scenario for many fans is a Hughes brothers reunion in New Jersey - with Jack and Luke already in Devils sweaters - Detroit offers a compelling alternative. The Red Wings are a storied franchise with a strong young core, a passionate fanbase, and a front office that’s shown it’s not afraid to make bold moves.
Blackburn echoed the sentiment, going as far as to call a Red Wings Hughes jersey “a top one NHL jersey.” The two even joked about putting in pre-orders for a white Detroit sweater with Hughes’ name on the back - a fun moment, but one that underscores how big a splash this kind of trade would make.
But then the conversation turned to what it would actually take to pull off a deal of this magnitude. And here’s where things get serious.
From Vancouver’s perspective, any trade involving Hughes would have to bring back a major return. We’re talking about one of the league’s premier defensemen - a 24-year-old captain who’s not just putting up points, but logging heavy minutes and driving play night after night. In short, Hughes isn’t someone you move unless the offer is overwhelming.
“I don’t know how many teams are beating the bones of a package in return,” Blackburn said. “I love [Axel] Sandin-Pellikka.
I love Nate Danielson. And if you’re trading Quinn Hughes, you better get a f***ing haul.”
That’s the reality. Detroit has the pieces - blue-chip prospects like Sandin-Pellikka and Danielson could headline a serious offer - but the question is whether they’d be willing to part with them, especially given the uncertainty around Hughes’ contract situation.
Hughes is under contract with Vancouver through the 2026-27 season, but he can’t sign an extension until July 1, 2026. That means any team trading for him before then is rolling the dice a bit - betting that they can not only win with him in the short term, but convince him to stick around long-term.
Bean acknowledged that risk but argued the reward could be worth it.
“Get the player, get him in that building, get him with that crowd, get a close run down the stretch to the playoffs,” he said. “You’re not leaving that.”
That’s the pitch: bring Hughes into a playoff atmosphere, show him what Detroit is building, and hope that the mix of competitive hockey and organizational momentum is enough to make him want to stay.
Of course, all of this is still hypothetical. There’s no indication that Vancouver is actively shopping Hughes, and despite the noise, some insiders maintain that he’s committed to the Canucks - at least for now.
But the context matters. Vancouver is struggling, sitting at 10-13-3 and near the bottom of the Pacific Division.
Hughes, meanwhile, continues to shine individually, with 22 points in 21 games and an average ice time north of 27 minutes a night. He’s doing everything you’d expect from a franchise defenseman - but the team around him isn’t holding up its end.
That disconnect is what’s fueling the speculation. Vancouver can’t afford to lose a player like Hughes for nothing, and while he’s under contract for two more seasons after this one, the clock is ticking. If the Canucks don’t show signs of turning things around, the pressure to consider a blockbuster move could grow.
And that’s why teams like Detroit - and earlier, Toronto and New Jersey - are keeping a close eye on the situation. Hughes isn’t just a star.
He’s a game-changer. And if the door even cracks open, there will be no shortage of suitors ready to make their pitch.
For now, it’s just talk. But in a league where elite defensemen are at a premium and playoff windows can open quickly, the idea of Quinn Hughes in a Red Wings jersey is one that’s hard to ignore.