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Vancouver Canucks: Can Quinn Hughes win next year’s Calder Trophy?

By Oliver Thompson

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VICTORIA , BC – JANUARY 2: Jack Hughes #6 of the United States skates during a quarter-final game against the Czech Republic at the IIHF World Junior Championships at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre on January 2, 2019 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Light/Getty Images)
VICTORIA , BC – JANUARY 2: Jack Hughes #6 of the United States skates during a quarter-final game against the Czech Republic at the IIHF World Junior Championships at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre on January 2, 2019 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Light/Getty Images) /

Jack Hughes

Not since Henrik and Daniel Sedin played their rookie seasons together for the Canucks in 2000/01 have two brothers with such obvious talent vied for the Calder Trophy. While the Sedins never seriously challenged Evgeni Nabokov for the award (Daniel finished 8th in voting, while Henrik garnered no votes), both Quinn and Jack Hughes are fully expected to be at the forefront of the pack – we could be in for a real humdinger of a battle between these two incredible athletes.

What could hold Jack Hughes back is the likelihood of him being the New Jersey Devils’ second line center, rather than immediately being inserted onto their top line. With previous top pick Nico Hischier entering his third NHL season, it would seem unlikely that the Devils would throw Jack Hughes into the lion’s den when they have a perfectly capable and highly-talented center ahead of him.

With Hughes set for the second line, and the Devils being challenged offensively outside of the two young stars and Taylor Hall, Hughes may well struggle to generate Elias Pettersson-type numbers. Just look at who his wingers could be: Jesper Bratt, Miles Wood, Blake Coleman and Stefan Noesen are the only credible options, with Hall and Kyle Palmieri already on the Devils’ top line. Could Jack Hughes be realistically expected to win the Calder with such inferior linemates to carry?

It could be very easily argued that Hughes will have the better opportunity to shine, and the team mates to pull off the Calder victory.

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