Trade Proposal No One Saw Coming… but Could It Actually Happen?
Every once in a while, the NHL rumor mill spits out something so wild, so unexpected, that fans can’t help but double-take. That’s exactly what’s happening right now with whispers about the Vancouver Canucks pulling off the unthinkable: acquiring both Hughes brothers—Jack and Luke—from the New Jersey Devils.
Yeah, you read that right. Not just one. Both.
Could Vancouver actually swing a deal of this magnitude? Let’s dive in.
1. The Spark: Quinn Wants the Family Together
It all started with subtle hints. Canucks President Jim Rutherford acknowledged that captain Quinn Hughes has expressed interest in playing alongside his brothers, Jack and Luke. That single comment set off alarms across the league.
Suddenly, fans and insiders alike were wondering: would the Canucks pursue a Hughes family reunion… or risk losing Quinn down the road? Even NHL analyst Mike Johnson suggested it might happen sooner than anyone thinks.
2. The Rumor Mill Is in Overdrive
Once that spark was lit, the hockey media went into full frenzy. And boy, did the trade scenarios start flying:
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CanucksDaily’s take: Vancouver sends Jonathan Lekkerimäki, a 2026 first-rounder, Nils Höglander, and Filip Hronek to Jersey—for Luke Hughes.
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Daily Faceoff’s bombshell: A mega-deal bringing both Jack and Luke Hughes to Vancouver in exchange for Elias Pettersson (with salary retained), Thatcher Demko, Lekkerimäki, Tom Willander, and a first-round pick.
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NY Post’s flip side: What if it’s Quinn who heads east? Their mock-up had Quinn Hughes to New Jersey for a haul including Simon Nemec or Seamus Casey, Anton Silaev or Arseni Gritsyuk, a first-rounder, and Dawson Mercer.
Basically, nobody can agree… but everyone wants a piece of this rumor.
3. The Devils Aren’t Exactly Rushing to Help Out
Here’s the thing: Jack Hughes is the face of the Devils and Luke is a key piece of their long-term blueline. New Jersey has zero incentive to move either of them unless the return is absurd.
They hold all the cards, all the leverage, and—importantly—all the time.
4. A Reality Check from the Locker Room
Not everyone is buying into the hype. Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers recently chimed in on a podcast to pour a little cold water on the frenzy:
“He loves his brothers … but he’s not going around the room saying he wants to play with his brothers. … I know it’s a big, big story around the hockey world, but everyone makes it a lot more than it is.”
Translation: this might be more smoke than fire. But in the NHL, where smoke swirls, fans dream big.
5. What If It Actually Happened?
Okay, let’s play “what if.” Here are two possible blueprints floating around:
Scenario A: The Blockbuster Reunion
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Canucks get: Jack Hughes, Luke Hughes
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Devils get: Elias Pettersson (retained), Thatcher Demko, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Tom Willander, 1st-round pick
Scenario B: The New Jersey Consolidation
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Canucks get: Quinn Hughes
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Devils get: Simon Nemec or Seamus Casey, Anton Silaev or Arseni Gritsyuk, Dawson Mercer, 1st-round pick
The question is less “would this work” and more “would either team ever pull the trigger?”
Bottom Line: Dream or Reality?
Right now, this blockbuster is mostly wishful thinking. The Devils aren’t eager to ship out their cornerstone players, and the Canucks have very little leverage unless they’re willing to sell the farm.
But here’s the risk for Vancouver: if they don’t act decisively, they could see Quinn walk in 2027 as a free agent—potentially straight into the arms of his brothers in New Jersey.
So, will this shocking deal actually happen? Realistically… probably not. But as long as the whispers keep floating around, fans can’t help but dream of the day all three Hughes brothers hit the ice together in the same uniform.
👉 Canucks fans: would you sell Pettersson and Demko to reunite the Hughes brothers in Vancouver? Or is this all smoke with no fire?
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