NHL Rumor Mill – December 8, 2025
The latest trade speculation about Canucks captain Quinn Hughes and Kings center Phillip Danault has become a trade target.
THE LATEST QUINN HUGHES CONJECTURE
THE PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma believes trade speculation about superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes will ramp up as the Vancouver Canucks face the Detroit Red Wings on Monday and the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 14. Trade rumors linked both clubs to the 26-year-old Canucks captain.
Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes (NHL Images).
Kuzma noted that the Canucks need a center in a possible trade package for Hughes. He spotlighted Red Wings rookie Nate Danielson and indicated that the Canucks also like Marco Kasper. As for the Devils, Kuzma suggested center Dawson Mercer and young blueliner Simon Nemec as possible trade options.
THE ATHLETIC: Harman Dayal believes the Canucks have considerable leverage in a Hughes trade situation.
Hughes lacks no-trade protection, giving the Canucks a broad field of possible trade partners. They’re also under no obligation to ship him to any of his preferred destinations. Their priority will be maximizing his trade value.
The Canucks superstar has another season left on his contract at an affordable $7.85 million. Whoever owns his rights next summer will have a better chance of signing him to a long-term deal for significantly more money than he’d get elsewhere.
Citing former Florida Panthers assistant general manager Steve Werier, Hayal stated that there is a window that runs through Sept. 15, 2026, allowing players to sign extensions under the old CBA rules. That means Hughes could ink an eight-year deal next summer instead of a seven-year one as per the new rules.
Dayal also looked at the potential cost for the Devils to acquire Hughes. They’re already pressed for cap space and have over $37 million invested in their blueline. He noted that some mock trade proposals suggest the Devils include Dougie Hamilton in the return to the Canucks. However, he has a 10-team trade list and might not want to go to Vancouver, plus the Canucks would be taking on a 32-year-old blueliner with an AAV of $9 million through 2027-28.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If it’s between the Red Wings and the Devils for Hughes, the former is in a better position, cap-wise.
The Red Wings currently have over $17 million in available cap space, with a projected $52.7 million in trade deadline cap space. The Wings also have over $41.8 million in projected cap room for 2026-27 with 15 active roster players under contract.
Meanwhile, the Devils are already over the cap with defenseman Brett Pesce ($5.5 million) on long-term injury reserve, with just over $2.8 million in potential trade deadline cap room. They have a projected $10.9 million in cap space 2026-27 with 18 active roster players under contract.
IS PHILLIP DANAULT AVAILABLE?
NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported Saturday that sources said trade chatter was picking up around Los Angeles Kings center Phillip Danault. He said that multiple teams have contacted the King about Danault’s availability.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seravalli cited the thin trade market for centers as the reason behind the interest in Danault. The 32-year-old center is seeing third-line duty with the Kings. He’s signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $5.5 million and has a 10-team no-trade list.
Danault reached a career-high 54 points in 2022-23, followed by 47 points in 2023-24 and 43 points last season. He has only five points in 28 games this season.
Has there ever been a superstar that is under contract that has so much trade noise around him as Quinn Hughes?
It must be frustrating for Vancouver fans not to mention the entire organization.
Jack Eichel, JT Miller, Erik Karlsson to name a few……
Oops on JT!
The Brady nonsense will start up again too
Of course it will, Dark G. And back of it will be the usual crapola about how a star, gutsy warrior could grow tired of playing for a backwater, small-market team that can’t become a serious cup contender.
What will be ignored, of course, is that, over the past decade there have been exactly 7 different cup winners (Pittsburgh. Tampa and Florida twice each, Washington, St. Louis, Colorado and Vegas).
With Seattle having entered in 2021, basically this means there are star players toiling for 23 non-winning teams, the vast majority of them nowhere near being serious Cup contenders in that same span, and some of them Cupless over a long long period.
But we seldom, if ever, hear about most of those star players who, you might think, could be just as frustrated.
McDavid before he signed his extension….
In Vancouver’s case, it’s really self inflicted when a year or 2 ago, Rutherford said that Hughes would prefer to play with his brothers. The rumours started swirling around him since and it got louder each successive year.
It’s really their own damn fault.
Kasper, Soderblom, William Wallinder, 2026 1st (top 3 protected) and ’28 2nd for Quinn and Sherwood.
Johnny Z
You better be sure he’s inking an extension if giving up all those assets.
Isn’t Sherwood a UFA after this season?
That would be a given. Quinn would have to say that he is interested in staying with whomever trades for him before July 1st. After July it would be better to be a sign and trade.
A play-off contender could sign him as a 1yr + the rest of this year rental. But that would not be the Wings.
Good points Kent! However I don’t think the package is that far off.
Kasper, Compher (retain 2M)(Van could use depth C), William Wallinder, And the bonus player is Jesse Kiiskinen and 2026 1st (top 3 protected) and ’28 2nd for Quinn and Sherwood.
Jesse Kiiskinen was nearly a pt per game in Liiga last year and a pt per game in WJC last year and will be playing for Finland again this year. He is 6’1″, 195#, and a RW
Holy overpayment Batman!!
I dont think so. Kasper figures to be a good 3rd C. Söderblom is a tweener at the moment and have 1P in 16 NHL games, drafted in round 6. Wallinder is 23 year old 2nd round pick who hasnt cracked the roster yet of a mediocre team + a first top 3 protected. One could argue Sherwood is for Wallinder and the 2nd, so its Kasper, a first and Söderblom. And you want to pay that for the at worst 2nd best D in the league? Its a low offer compared to Mercer, Nemec and something, that offer is a mile better
How about Luke and Jack for Quinn
IMO the only team who might trade for Hughes at this time is Devils. Can’t see anyone else giving up the farm for a guy you can’t extend until next summer. If Vancouver isn’t confident in re-signing him, who else would be?
And Devils would definitely need to move salary just to fit him this year. Kovacevic will also be coming off ltir. Besides having 3 brothers together, would they be a better team after giving up other rostered players? And what’s an extension going to look like? Hischier also will need extension. Could he be dealt to Vancouver? Ala Huberdeau for Tkachuk?
Agree Slick62 and Obe, you would want certainty. If in fact the Devils are the only team he would extend with. And if the Devils want to pay him big $$ when they have other guys to sign. How many Hughes do you need? Do you want 3 brothers on the same team? Especially when 2 of them are little guys. I’m not sold this is even a real thing.
They already have the other mobile puck movers on D. Hamilton, (not what he used to be and needs to be moved while eating salary if they sign him), Hughes and Nemec is improving and becoming a good player as well and is only 21. Devils are solid and set long term in that department.
IMO Detroit makes a lot of sense if you take the whole brother thing out of the equation. As do other young and up and coming teams like SJ or Chicago.
Most brothers don’t play together and all is well in their lives. And I don’t think the Devils are the best fit from a strictly hockey perspective either. He said he would like to play with his brothers when asked that exact question. Is this based on anything else?
Exactly on point, Ray! Chicago, SJ and then Detroit could offer the best packages and have the best cap situation to give the Nucks the best return.
As a Vancouver Canucks fan, they need to draft high in the next two drafts, especially the 27 draft class, where the next wave of Golden Generation Russian players are set to arrive in Nazar Privalov and Sergei Skvortsov. There also two north American players ranked High in Joseph and Dupont. Canucks need to move Hughes for a solid young player that can grow with the hopefully high draft picks. Offer Quinn Hughes to Anaheim for Beckett Senneke. The Ducks get Hughes for two playoff runs with that roster, watch out.
Not sure why anyone would trade for Hughes as he wants to play with his brothers. If I’m NJ I wait till he is an UFA and sign him and if I have to move someone for him to fit under cap then I gain more prospects or picks.
Some thoughts
Does NYR keep Borden or Aschoff eider going forward? If both Morrow odd man out?
Say Quinn signs extension for 8yrs for a sign and trade
To NY Quinn and a 6th
To VAN Laffy Othman and morrow or borgen ?
Soucey may not get resigned so that frees 3m towards Quinn’s extension plus cap goes up.
Robertson and borgen /morrow 3rd pair
Quinn and schneider 2 nd pair
Gavrikov and fox 1st
Bring up Perrault to plan 2nd line rw with bread
Does that get it done for VAN?
Is NYR close enough to NJ for Quinn?
Ihatecrosby
If you were Vancouver would you really make that deal? Would need to include a couple 1sts. Borgen has full ntc that becomes a 15 team ntc next season.His contract will be a bargain over next 4 seasons .Schneider no protection and will be rfa needing a raise.
To NY: Hughes and Sherwood
To Van: Schneider, Robertson,Laf, Cuylle, 2026 1st.
I think any team who feels they are really close to winning the cup would be willing to trade significant futures and a really roster player for Hughes regardless if he is willing to sign. Two cup runs at an affordable cap hit for a top 5 Player in the league plying 25 minutes a night. He is a game changer. Who knows if you do win the cup maybe you can convince him to sign for a short term deal and then he can go a play with his brothers when he is 30-32.
I think it would be interesting fit in Tampa or Dallas. I would consider moving Harley in a trade package for Hughes. Not sure if Tampa has the assets in to be in the running.
I’m sure Hughes would be ok going to both of those locations for a couple of years.
Jeff.
That makes some sense. A team like Rangers have a small window to do something. Drury needs to add a difference maker. (See above trade proposal) The Hughes parents have home in Michigan but, adding a sibling rivalry to cross river rivalry would be cool. Parents can come to town and watch all the boys play. Quinn does have a friend in NY in JT. The dad spent a year with Sullivan on Bruins staff as assistants. If it doesn’t work out, Rangers can always try to trade him meat years deadline
I’d really love if Hughes stayed with Vancouver, but as a consolation, I hope it’s a large enough trade that it finally sets the Canucks on the right path to a cup. Just one before I die.