- Canucks fans chanted “Quinn Hughes sucks” as he first hit the ice in Vancouver
- Boos in warmups, “Quitter” chants and a mixed video tribute followed
- Read below for how the night unfolded and where his contract stands
Quinn Hughes got exactly the welcome he feared in Vancouver.
Canucks fans chanted “Quinn Hughes sucks” the moment the Wild defenseman stepped on the ice at Rogers Arena for the first time since the trade. The boos were already rolling during warmups.
Here’s the chant as it broke out at the start of the game:
Hughes was asked Sunday what he expected from the building. He said he was grateful for his time with the Canucks no matter how the crowd treated him.
“I think everyone is entitled to express how they feel,” Hughes said. “Whatever happens today won’t change how I feel about this place and how grateful I am for the six and a half years that I had here.”
The crowd had a different message. A “Quitter” chant picked up later, aimed at the former captain who told the team he did not plan to sign an extension before Vancouver moved him.
The Canucks played a video tribute about seven minutes into the game, and the arena split down the middle. Hughes got a standing ovation from part of the crowd and a wave of boos from the rest.
Take a look at the tribute and the mixed reaction:
Then came the hit. Canucks forward Drew O’Connor laid a hit on Hughes, and Rogers Arena erupted.
Catch the moment the building lost it:
Vancouver drafted Hughes seventh overall in 2018 and he became one of the best defensemen in franchise history. He won the Norris Trophy in 2023-24 with a career-high 92 points, his first season as captain.
The Canucks traded him to Minnesota last December for Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium and a first-round pick, which turned into Adam Novotny. Buium has since signed an eight-year, $75 million extension in Vancouver.
Hughes has been outstanding for the Wild, with 14 points in 12 games coming into Sunday. His own contract is still unsettled, and he said he wouldn’t be surprised if something happens soon. We have more on that in our Hughes extension story.
He also made clear where he wants to be. “My two feet are planted here in Minnesota,” Hughes said.
Hughes is one of several stars returning to old buildings this month. Brady Tkachuk went through the same thing in Ottawa, and Hughes has been part of the trade conversation around the league.
Vancouver made sure Hughes knew how it felt.
