The discussion surrounding a potential Quinn Hughes trade has overrun the narrative around the NHL. Just about every team in the league has been linked to the Vancouver Canucks captain.
But there’s one team that hasn’t gotten much attention regarding Quinn Hughes: The Colorado Avalanche.
On the surface, trading for Quinn Hughes would seem redundant for the Avalanche. The team already has an all-world blueliner in Cale Makar. But then again, wouldn’t it be the ultimate for Colorado to get Quinn Hughes?
For the Avalanche to get Quinn Hughes would be like Elon Musk getting another trillion dollars. It would be the case of the rich getting richer.
But is such a trade even possible for the Avalanche? The prevailing theory would dismiss the possibility of the Avalanche trading for Hughes. Here’s why.
The prevailing thought is that the Vancouver Canucks want a defenseman who could essentially replace Hughes and a top-six center, as insider Elliotte Friedman noted. That’s just the starting point. Right off the bat, the Avalanche don’t have a center that could move the needle. Sure, there’s Brock Nelson. But the chatter is that the Canucks want a young, top-six center.
Jack Drury could be a piece, but he doesn’t really fit the bill of what the Canucks would like. Beyond that, moving a winger like Martin Necas might move the needle. But there’s no way the Avalanche are moving Necas.
That brings us to the defenseman part. The Canucks would love to get Makar back for Hughes. Of course, we know that’s not going to happen. Devon Toews would be an intriguing piece. However, the Canucks already have Filip Hronek to do Toews’ job. Perhaps Samuel Girard could work. But his injury history may turn off the Canucks. Could Sam Malinski’s upside intrigue the Canucks? Possibly, but not likely.
As such, the Avalanche don’t really have a defenseman that could entice the Canucks. Unless the Canucks were willing to stock up on mid-range players like Drury, Ross Colton, Logan O’Connor, or a blueline prospect like Sean Behrens, it seems the Avalanche won’t have much luck trying to trade for Hughes.
If anything, the Avalanche would have a much better chance of signing Hughes as a free agent. Hughes is set to hit the market in 2027. If he doesn’t sign an extension by then, the Avalanche could become major players. The Avs have a projected $47 million in cap space for the 2027-28 season. That’s right, when Hughes’ new contract would kick in.
Could that be a possibility? Of course, we have to factor in Cale Makar’s new deal. But the rising cap and plenty of cost certainty could open up a window for the Avalanche to sign a big fish like Hughes.
Avalanche fans shouldn’t hold their breath on a trade for Quinn Hughes. But signing him as a free agent could be a very real possibility.