Vancouver Canucks: Is Quinn Hughes ready to play in the NHL?

Vancouver Canucks 2018 first round pick Quinn Hughes says he is ready for the NHL. Even if he were ready, should he be in the Canucks opening lineup?

It’s been nearly a week since the first round of the NHL entry draft and I am still in shock that Quinn Hughes fell to the Vancouver Canucks at seventh overall. In fact, every morning since that day I re-watch the selection just to make sure I’m not dreaming.

I’ll probably watch it again tomorrow just to be safe!.

I was so convinced that Hughes was not going to be available by the Canucks pick that I purposely avoided any article about him, just so I wouldn’t be disappointed when he was selected by someone else. But alas, here we are with a stud defenceman who many considered the second best available.

Now, the next question is when will he be ready for the NHL?

Some, like TSN’s Craig Button feel it’s best to send Hughes back to the University of Michigan for another season to dominate at the NCAA level. Doing this will allow Hughes to play for Team USA at the World Juniors, where he would be the team’s number one defenceman.

While this is a good path (it worked out really well for fellow American defenceman Charlie McAvoy), Hughes has already proven that he can dominate at that level.

He also played against NHL level competition at the World Championship and did not look out-of-place. In limited minutes with some power play time, Hughes put up two points in 10 games.

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Taking all off this into consideration, I would have Hughes in the starting lineup if I were Canucks management. In particular, I would pair him with Chris Tanev.

The pairing with Tanev would allow Hughes to really explore what he can and cannot get away with at the NHL level. Having Tanev out there to nullify any mistakes Hughes makes would be an excellent safeguard.

The Canucks however should limit Hughes even strength minutes and defensive zone starts just to see how he can handle NHL level forechecks and defensive responsibility.

If Hughes is on the team, I would spoon feed him first unit power play minutes with both Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson. These three together (who I like to call the Holy Trinity) are going to be the foundation of the Canucks power play for many years to come. It is important that they establish some chemistry and make mistakes now when the Canucks are still not contenders.

Besides the fact he gets to familiarize himself with Boeser and Pettersson, Hughes is currently the best power play defenceman the Canucks have, and it’s not even close. That’s including the likes of Alex Edler, Troy Stecher, and Derrick Pouliot.

For too long we as Canucks fans have suffered at the hands of the Canucks power play break in. It’s predictable, slow, and highly inefficient. With Hughes on that unit, it gives the Canucks a player who gain the zone by making a smart forward pass or by taking the puck over the blueline himself.

Defenceman who can gain the offensive zone by themselves are worth their weight in gold, and the Canucks finally have one at their disposal.

Hughes would also be the Canucks best overtime defenceman. Just imagine him and Jake Virtanen using their breathtaking speed together. It would be deadly.

Some might say that by putting Hughes in the lineup now would hurt his confidence. On the contrary I would argue that putting him back in college would do that. He has openly stated that he is ready for the NHL right now and all the numbers and viewings back that up. Sending him back might not sit right with him.

You may be thinking to yourself that the organization cannot make lineup decisions based on how the players feel. This is true, but keep in mind that Quinn Hughes holds all the cards in this situation. As an NCAA player he can keep the Canucks waiting until he becomes a UFA in 2022.

This potentially toxic situation can be avoided if the Canucks look at the facts and at Hughes’ history of stepping up to a challenge. The Canucks have an elite player in Hughes who can become the team’s best defenceman within a year. He has earned the right to start in the NHL. If he does, then we are all in for a real treat.

Next: Exploring possible linemates for Elias Pettersson

Get excited Canucks fans, the Hughes-Pettersson-Boeser era is fast approaching and it promises to be spectacular!