Quinn Hughes admits return to Vancouver to face Canucks still doesn’t feel real

Quinn Hughes will walk into Rogers Arena as a visitor for the first time in his NHL career. It still doesn’t sit right with the star blueliner, who admitted it will feel strange even after the puck drops and the Minnesota Wild take on the Vancouver Canucks.

“I just feel like you’re so day-to-day, and the season is flying by. Like, so much has happened. You don’t even really think about it until it’s here,” Hughes commented on his return to Vancouver, via Rink Wide: Vancouver’s Jeff Paterson. “Probably won’t feel real until warmups. It’s been such a long year, you don’t even process everything that’s going on.”

Hughes was drafted by the Canucks with the 7th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He quickly became a franchise cornerstone and blossomed into arguably the best defenseman in the league. In the 2022–23 season, he won the James Norris Memorial Trophy. Now, he returns to an arena he used to call home, only this time he will be wearing a different jersey.

For Hughes, it will also be his first game on Canadian ice since winning gold with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Whether that memory will play a role in how the home fans greet him at Rogers Arena remains to be seen. One thing is clear, though: the stage is set for an emotional return by all accounts.

Jack (left) and Quinn Hughes (right) after winning gold

Hughes’ numbers this season

With Vancouver spiraling out of control, it became clear that Hughes’ time with the organization would run out soon in the 2025-26 season. On December 12, 2025, the Wild acquired Hughes, and the defenseman has been nothing short of lights-out ever since.

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Hughes had registered 23 points in 26 games with Vancouver this season. Since being dealt to Minnesota, he has put up 49 points (four goals and 45 assists) in 42 outings. Against the Canucks, Hughes will look to record his 50th career point with the Wild.

Clinching scenario for Wild against Canucks

The realities couldn’t be more different for Minnesota and Vancouver. As they go head-to-head, that contrast is on full display. The Wild can clinch a playoff spot with just one point against Vancouver, while the Canucks would lock in last place in the league standings with a loss of any kind.

There are other scenarios around the league that could lead to the same outcome, but that’s the bottom line. If Hughes and his new team walk away with a win in Vancouver, they will punch their ticket to the postseason while also ensuring the Canucks finish at the bottom of the standings—and, in turn, secure the best odds of landing the first overall pick in the NHL Draft Lottery.