Canucks captain Quinn Hughes gets 100% honest about J.T. Miller-Elias Pettersson 'distraction'

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes opened up about the public rift between Elias Pettersson and former teammate J.T. Miller last season.

In a conversation with insider Pierre LeBrun published in The Athletic on September 10, Hughes discussed the situation that led to Miller’s trade to the New York Rangers.

Quinn Hughes stated:

“Yeah, it’s rough. I was proud of myself just because I tried to help out those guys, and also, there was a lot of nonsense on the side, but my game never dipped. I always felt like I was there for my team. If anything, my game got better just because I knew we needed wins. That’s the main thing I could control is my game. But, obviously, it was a distraction.”

The feud spilled over from the locker room and into the media. While former coach Rick Tocchet attempted to deflect the issue away from the media, it became too much for the club to bear. So, the solution was to move one or both of Pettersson and Miller.

In the end, it was Miller whom the Canucks were able to move. Hughes praised the move, lauding GM Patrik Allvin and President Jim Rutherford for their efforts.

Hughes added:

“Jim and Patrik did what they had to do — what they thought would help our room — and I commend them for that because no one wants to trade Millsy, who was one of our terrific players in the league for a long time, but they did what they felt they had to do.”

The situation now has Quinn Hughes feeling more optimistic about the Canucks’ outlook ahead of this upcoming season. That prompted the captain to declare:

“I think our team should be in a position now where there’s no distractions, we’ve got a good coaching staff, and hopefully (goalie Thatcher Demko is) healthy and we’ll be ready to go.”

Quinn Hughes and the Canucks will be looking to put the subpar 2024-25 season behind them. The goal now is to move on, hopefully return to the postseason to challenge for a Stanley Cup.

Canucks hoping to keep Quinn Hughes long-term

Another crucial topic surrounding the Vancouver Canucks has been the potential departure of Quinn Hughes. While Hughes is still under contract for two more seasons, speculation has been rampant about a potential reunion with brothers Luke and Jack.

Luke and Jack Hughes currently play for the New Jersey Devils, with Jack locked up for the foreseeable future. That situation means that, barring a massive trade between the Devils and Canucks, a Hughes brothers reunion could take place in New Jersey during the 2027 offseason.

But that’s something that Canucks GM Patrik Allvin isn’t keen on. LeBrun quoted Allvin, who stated via text message:

“Our hope is to keep him long-term. We will do whatever we can to keep him.”

Hughes’ next deal could be a record-breaking one for NHL defensemen. The former Norris Trophy winner has achieved just about everything an elite blueliner can short of winning a Stanley Cup.

With the salary cap ceiling going up in the next couple of seasons, the Canucks shouldn’t have issues paying Hughes. It seems like everything will boil down to the willingness to work things out.