To look at Quinn Hughes, you wouldn't think he was capable of hurting a fly, when in reality he's somewhat of a baby-faced assassin. He may not usually strike the killer blow himself, but he's often in the vicinity when the Canucks are doing damage to opposing teams.
Along these lines, Hughes was at it again on Tuesday night in Anaheim, as he notched three assists and helped the Canucks dismantle the Ducks 5-1. He deservedly took home the First Star of the Game, but also achieved something of more significance.
Due to recording a trio of assists on the night, the two-time NHL All-Star hit 300 helpers for his career. With him achieving the special feat in just 376 games, he became the third-fastest defenceman in NHL history to reach this milestone.
Some truly elite company
To provide more context for just how special this achievement was, consider the two blue liners who reached 300 assists faster than Hughes. More specifically Bobby Orr and Brian Leetch, in 346 and 368 games respectively.
And if you really want Hughes' achievement to resonate with you, he reached the 300 assist milestone in one game fewer than a certain Paul Coffey. That would be the NHL Hall of Famer who is second all-time in assists among defencemen, with 1,135.
Of course Hughes has a long way to go yet, before he can even begin to think about catching the likes of Coffey. However, he does have former Canuck Alexander Edler firmly in his sights, who holds the club record of 310 assists by a defenceman.
Set to be the best D-man in Canucks history
To help accentuate (even more) just how talented Hughes is, it took Edler 925 games to accrue his total in Vancouver. Of note, Dennis Kearns is third in team history with 290 assists among defenceman, reached in 677 games.
Going back to Tuesday night specifically, Hughes' second assist was initially recorded as a goal to him. However, the NHL subsequently awarded the goal to Elias Pettersson, hence it became another helper for his captain.
Pettersson needs all the help he can get these days with his ongoing struggles, and it speaks volumes about Hughes that he was happy for his teammate. Speaking to the media postgame, he said:
""I'm glad Petey got that (goal), because that doesn't go in without him standing in front, it was a great screen.""
A humble player
Even when talking about reaching 300 assists for his career, the 2018 seventh overall draft pick was refreshingly humble and appreciative. He said:
""I just feel very fortunate. I'm lucky to have had the great teammates I've had. It's been a fun six years, and hopefully (there's) many more (to come).""
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet isn't exactly someone who hands out compliments easily, but he wasn't surprised about Hughes hitting 300 assists. Also speaking to the media, he said:
""He’s obviously in control of a lot of the play, (he’s a) special player. He gets a lot of shots off. That’s hard to do, especially when teams are keying on you, so I'm not shocked.""
Tocchet was also asked about his confidence level in Hughes in general. He said:
""He's been here a couple of years and he's a pleasure to coach. He loves hockey and he (always) tries to work on his game, and that's what I love about him.""
This is a sentiment likely shared by a lot of people associated with the team. You get the feeling there's still plenty more to come from Hughes, and Canucks fans are fortunate to have a front row seat to watch one of the best defencemen -- and arguably players in general -- in the games today.