When it comes to Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks fans don't need any persuasion about his standing as one of the best blue liners in the NHL. For them, it's a foregone conclusion.
In this respect, Hughes took his game to new heights in 2023-24, as he enjoyed a career year. Among other things, his career-high 92 points led all defencemen, while his single-season best +38 rating was fourth-best among all NHL players full stop.
In respect of the team as a whole, the 24-year-old's first year as captain -- the 15th in team history -- saw the Canucks total their third-most points in franchise history. They outscored opponents by 37 goals when he was on the ice at five-on-five, and won their first division title since 2012-13.
Hughes proves to be the NHL's best blue liner
When it was all said and done, Hughes won the Norris Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL's top defenceman. He is a truly special player and when you consider how young he still is, he should be a fixture in the Canucks lineup for a long time to come yet.
Along these lines, it's interesting to see how the two-time NHL All-Star measures up to other defencemen, when it comes to how much they earn. Here is how he compares to the top 10 best-paid blue liners in the league, based on Average Annual Value (AVV):
Rank | Player | Team | AAV (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Erik Karlsson | Penguins | $11.5 million |
Tied-2 | Drew Doughty | Kings | $11 million |
Tied-2 | Rasmus Dahlin | Sabres | $11 million |
4 | Zachary Werenski | Blue Jackets | $9.583 million |
Tied-5 | Seth Jones | Blackhawks | $9.5 million |
Tied-5 | Charles Mcavoy | Bruins | $9.5 million |
Tied-5 | Adam Fox | Rangers | $9,5 million |
8 | Darnell Nurse | Oilers | $9.25 million |
9 | Roman Josi | Predators | $9.059 million |
Tied-10 | Dougie Hamilton | Devils | $9 million |
Tied-10 | Cale Makar | Avalanche | $9 million |
25 | Quinn Hughes | Canucks | $7.85 million |
Clearly the Canucks are getting a good deal with Hughes, who is only halfway through his current six-year, $47.1 million contract. However, once this concludes following the 2026-27 season, there's no denying he will receive a substantial and well-deserved pay rise.
Hronek's new deal further proof of Hughes' value
For now though, the Canucks must take advantage of the value they are receiving for the Orlando, Florida native. They are aiming to build on last season and become a genuine contender, and he is certainly a key component in this ambition.
There are plenty who believe the Canucks overpaid for Filip Hronek, after signing him to a eight-year, $58 million contract extension back in June. However, aside from being one of their best defencemen, his AAV of $7.25 million is noticeable for still being lower than what Hughes receives at $7.85 million per season.
One of the fortes of coach Rick Tocchet is defence, and the Canucks proved this by allowing the sixth-fewest goals in 2023-24. Hughes is extremely important in contributing to this, and no matter what he costs, the team is getting and will get an excellent deal for their money.