Former Canucks captain Hughes shines in return to Vancouver

“The passion with the fan base is what makes it special to play here,” he said. “So for me, it was cool to be back here, and exciting. And I’m glad we got the win.”

Hundreds of people — many clad in Canucks jerseys emblazoned with Hughes’ name and No. 43 — stood around the glass ahead of warm-ups, hoping to get a glimpse of the star defenceman. One held a sign reading “And I thought I had commitment issues.”

Chants of “Quinn you suck!” erupted in the first minute of the game. Moments later, they were followed by jeers of “Quit-er! Quit-er!”

Minnesota goalie Calvin Pickard compared the scene to playoff games he played in the same rink as a member of the Edmonton Oilers.

Hughes managed the environment well, he said.

“I can’t imagine it’s easy in a moment like that for him. But he thrives,” Pickard said. “He’s great every night. He’s so fun to watch. I’m just so lucky to be on his side.”

Fans vocally expressed their displeasure once again as a tribute to the blue liner began on the big screen during the first TV timeout. The boos transformed into a mixed review, with whistles and clapping, and some in the crowd standing in ovation.

“He definitely deserved the cheers,” said Canucks defenceman Luke Schenn. “I don’t know if there’s really much reason to be negative as far as what he’s done for the organization.

“And he was pretty dominant again tonight, especially the second half of the game. So, obviously they’re booing him, but at the end of the day I think everyone is proud that he was once a Canuck.”

As the video ended, Hughes skated out from the bench and raised his stick in salute as both his current and former teammates tapped their sticks on the boards.

“I was just proud,” he said of the tribute. “And obviously I was here for 6 1/2 years, tried my best. And got some cheers there. That was cool for me.”

Picked seventh overall by the Canucks in the 2018 draft, Hughes played part of seven seasons in Vancouver before a blockbuster trade sent him to Minnesota.

The deal saw Vancouver acquire Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren, defenceman Zeev Buium and the Wild’s first-round pick in the 2026 NHL entry draft.

Patrik Allvin, then Vancouver’s general manager, said Hughes had made it clear he was unlikely to sign a long-term extension with the Canucks following the expiration of the six-year, US$47.1-million deal he signed in October 2021.

Hughes has yet to ink an extension with the Wild. Fans inside Rogers Arena on Sunday chanted “He’s not sign-ing!” multiple times throughout the game.

The departure left a gaping hole in Vancouver’s lineup.

Hughes had long been the team’s top talent, tallying 432 points over 459 regular-season games and setting a new record for points by a Canucks defenceman.

In 2024, he won the Norris Trophy — awarded annually to the league’s top defenceman — after helping Vancouver win a Pacific Division title and make the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

The 27-year-old blue liner from Orlando, Fla., finished last season registering five goals and 48 assists across 48 regular-season games for the Wild.

He’s off to a solid start to the 2026-27 campaign, too, with 16 points over 13 games.

Midway through the second period on Sunday, Hughes swiped a backdoor shot in past Canucks netminder Leevi Merilainen for a power-play goal that gave the Wild a 3-0 lead.

He added an assist early in the third, carrying the puck up the ice and dishing off to Kirill Kaprizov, who powered into Vancouver territory and pulled his shot around Merilainen’s outstretched pad to make it 4-0.

The hostile atmosphere didn’t seem to trouble Hughes, Kaprizov said.

“I think he played great and he scored, the team won, nice pass and he just was everywhere on the ice,” the sniper said. “He was like usually. Maybe not in the start, the first couple shifts, but then he played a really good game.”

Hughes got a peek at what he could potentially face in Vancouver last week when his close friend, Florida Panthers forward Brady Tkachuk, returned to his former team for the first time.

The crowd in Ottawa heartily booed the former Senators captain, and some held anti-Tkachuk signs as their team thumped the visitors 5-1 on Wednesday.

Tkachuk managed the scene well, Hughes said, and the reaction to his return simply showed the passion in Canadian markets.

That ardent love for a team is something he said he’ll remember fondly about his time in Vancouver.

“It kind of just feels like you’re playing for the Yankees,” Hughes said before the Wild faced the Kraken in Seattle on Saturday.

“The passion in Canada, you don’t see that everywhere around the league. … That’s a special thing. And definitely brings its highs and its lows with so many eyes on you. But for the most part, I really enjoyed that.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2026.

Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Former Canucks captain Hughes shines in return to Vancouver

What's Happening