TORONTO – Quinn Hughes remains to be navigating new environment.
Be careful when the smooth-skating, minute-crunching defenceman lastly finds his groove.
Hughes picked up two extra assists and was on the ice for 4 Minnesota Wild objectives in a 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.
Acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Dec. 12 in a blockbuster commerce, the 26-year-old has 20 factors in 18 video games for a franchise that signalled it’s firmly in win-now mode following the head-turning deal simply over 5 weeks in the past.
“I’m beginning to get a little bit bit snug and understanding my teammates and the system,” Hughes stated following the morning skate at Scotiabank Area. “Little bit extra of a course of than most likely what I anticipated, however they’ve made it very easy. The blokes have been nice.
“I really feel like I’m attending to my recreation now.”
Hughes has partnered with Brock Faber on the blue line to present the Wild two elite puck-movers.
Hughes, who gained the Norris Trophy because the NHL’s prime blueliner in 2024, has two objectives and 18 assists with Minnesota to present him a complete of 43 factors in 44 contests. Faber, in the meantime, has 10 objectives and 20 assists in 50 appearances this season, with 15 of these factors coming since Hughes arrived.
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“You don’t notice how good he’s till you see it and play with it,” stated Faber, who additionally arrange two objectives Monday. “He’s solely going to get higher … such an amazing addition.”
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Wild head coach John Hynes stated Hughes gives much more than simply offence to a gaggle that sat 28-13-9 heading into Tuesday’s second of a back-to-back in Montreal in opposition to the Canadiens.
“What I respect about him most (is) simply the kind of teammate he’s, his persona, coachable,” Hynes stated. “He cares about defending.”
Wild ahead Marcus Foligno stated Hughes — set to characterize america on the Milan Cortina Olympics subsequent month — introduced one thing completely different when he walked into the locker room.
“Confidence,” stated the 34-year-old, who bagged the primary hat trick of his profession Monday. “Everybody’s taking part in with a little bit bit extra swagger and possession of the puck and pleasure. That’s what nice gamers do, elite gamers do.
“They make everybody higher round them, however on the similar time, they elevate all people’s pleasure degree.”
Hynes has additionally seen that jolt all through the group.
“It’s an amazing message to the gamers that your normal supervisor and your proprietor really feel that they’ve earned the appropriate to have the ability to attempt to make a transfer to get a man like Quinn,” he stated. “That invigorates your group.”
Hughes hasn’t had an opportunity to actually mirror on his time in Vancouver and with a franchise that had a quick surge of success earlier than issues fully fell aside final season.
“I’m attempting to show the web page and use all my power and focus in the direction of all the things I have to be doing right here,” stated Hughes, who was chosen No. 7 general on the 2018 draft and put up a career-high 92 factors in 2023-24 with the Canucks. “However now and again, you consider it.”
Hughes stated a part of his adjustment has been studying the place he suits on a roster that sat third within the NHL’s general standings within the ultracompetitive Central Division heading into Tuesday’s motion.
He’s additionally going to do his factor.
“They traded for you for a purpose — you need to be you,” Hughes stated. “It’s not ‘The Quinn Hughes Present’ … there’s nice gamers right here and it’s an amazing group.
“I simply need to do my half.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Jan. 20, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
