Canucks Rumors: Any of These 4 Moves Could Ensure Quinn Hughes' Happiness in Vancouver

Vancouver Canucks team president Jim Rutherford unwittingly opened up a can of worms last week when he let it slip that Quinn Hughes would like to play with his NHL-playing brothers some day. With that, rumors have begun to swirl about Quinn's long-term viability in Vancouver. 

But Canucks analyst Ben Kuzma in the Vancouver Province has suggested that any one (or two.. or more?) of four potential moves could help ensure the captain's happiness in Vancouver. 

Hughes still has two years remaining on his 6-year, $7.85 million contract with the Canucks, but the team better start considering right now how to set him up for a long-term extension. 

Hughes has close relationship with Rick Tocchet

Move #1: It all starts with extending head coach Rick Tocchet. His guaranteed contract expired at the end of the season, and while the Canucks have a team option, getting him re-signed to a long-term deal would be huge to satisfy Hughes, who has a great relationship with his head coach and certainly wants him to stay. 

Moves #2, 3, 4: Hughes has close, "lasting friendships" with three players on other teams that are not his brothers. So failing to land either of Jack or Luke Quinn who play for the New Jersey Devils, the Canucks should perhaps be targeting one of: 

• Josh Norris, Buffalo Sabres
• Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
• Brady Tkachuk, Florida Panthers

Could the Canucks trade for one of Hughes' close friends, if not brothers?

"It’s not a stretch to suggest the Canucks captain would love to have one of them here," writes Kuzma. In particular, Norris, who was recently traded from the Ottawa Senators to the Sabres. 

“He’s my best friend and we’re really tight,” Hughes said of Norris. “He lives 20 minutes from me (in Michigan) and we pretty much see each other every weekend in the summer.”

Tough to think that the Sabres would look to trade Norris after having dealt Dylan Cozens for him a month and a half ago. It's also safe to assume that the Panthers won't be letting Tkachuk go anytime soon. 

So what about Larkin? He's the longtime captain of the Red Wings, so that sounds doubtful too, unless you consider his coming out last week and questioning the lack of moves his team made at the trade deadline. Larkin was not happy. 

Nevethess, Larkin has six years to run on an $8.7 million AAV contract with the Wings, so a trade seems like a longshot at best. 

So it all starts with Tocchet if the Canucks want to take that first, huge step to keeping their captain happy. 

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