Canucks: Pettersson, Hughes could attract UFAs to Vancouver

The two biggest superstars playing for the Vancouver Canucks put on a show in the NHL Playoffs this year making Vancouver a popular landing spot for UFAs.

“Say my name.” – Walter White from the TV series Breaking Bad.

The entire hockey universe knows the names of Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. The two superstars playing under the Vancouver Canucks banner were absolute statistical beasts in their first-ever NHL Playoffs appearance.

Leading all Canucks in scoring, Pettersson put all doubters to bed by collecting 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 17 games. No matter what the opposition threw his way, Petey was quick to adapt and find new ways to be effective. For the majority of the NHL Playoffs, he was chasing Nathan MacKinnon (arguably the world’s best player) for the League lead in points.

Hughes was very impressive in his own way. Playing through injury, the silky smooth defender managed to notch himself 16 points (two goals, 14 assists) to become the highest-scoring rookie defenseman in NHL playoffs history. He passed Al MacInnis’ 39-year record for sole possession. Truly, mindblowing stuff.

All by the ages of just 21 and 20, the incredible duo exceeded all expectations. They officially put the Canucks back on top of the Canadian charts in terms of ending a 27-year Stanley Cup drought. All this according to Frank Seravalli of TSN.

Not only that, but these two potential franchise players possess world-class hockey talent that has the ability to attract big-name unrestricted free agents — even some who would consider taking a discount for the opportunity to play with such pure skill.

Take Tyler Toffoli for example. His situation is a little bit different because he already knows what it’s like to be on the same team as these guys, but in a recent interview, he expressed that it’s his number one priority to re-sign in the city of Vancouver. Do you think the rise of Pettersson and Hughes has something to do with that? Of course, it does.

"“I want to stay in Vancouver and that’s my number one priority as of right now. It’s definitely an exciting time to be in Vancouver and it’s definitely something that people want to be a part of now. They have some kids in this organization and some guys who really stepped up and shown that they’re ready to take the next step. It’s pretty impressive to see what some of these guys did.”"

Toffoli got the privilege of riding shotgun on a line with Pettersson as well as filling in for Brock Boeser on the first unit power play that also included Hughes. He racked up 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 10 regular-season games and added four more points in seven playoff contests.

His points per game stats skyrocketed playing with Vancouver’s elite talent. That alone is a huge draw for unrestricted players who want nothing more than to win hockey games. Playing in LA earlier this year, Toffoli averaged 0.586 PPG. When he made the switch to Vancouver at the trade deadline he averaged 0.823 PPG, but keep in mind he was playing four of those games through injury. That’s a world of difference.

The fact that Hughes and Pettersson are so young is another big draw for players looking to find their next destination in the NHL. If they can put on such an amazing show in their first-ever NHL playoffs experience, what’s to stop them from completely dominating the landscape for years to come?

Dan Hamhuis inking a six-year deal with the Canucks back in the summer of 2010 is a prime example of a player taking a discount to be a part of a strong core. Henrik and Daniel Sedin had just come off back-to-back Art Ross Trophy wins and they had an excellent supporting cast in Roberto Luongo, Ryan Kesler, and Alex Burrows.

Nine years removed from their trip to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, and the Canucks find themselves in a similar situation. Pettersson and Hughes could very well turn out to be even better players than the twins, and players like Bo Horvat, Boeser, and Thatcher Demko make this city that much more welcoming.

NHL players like to get paid, but for some, winning the Stanley Cup is that much more important. With the way the Canucks performed in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs I could see a few big-name UFAs getting their agents to ring the phone number of GM Jim Benning.

Of course, only time will tell. Vancouver could be a hotspot for UFA’s in the near future. The Canuck Way will have you updated with everything Canucks-related this offseason. Stay tuned.