Quinn Hughes is headed for a massive payday, according to Elliotte Friedman. The belief is Hughes will sign a three-year deal worth $18,000,000 per season in average annual value.
That would make him one of the five highest-paid defensemen in the entire NHL.
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For context, Cale Makar currently sits at $9,000,000. Zachary Werenski carries $9,583,333. Quinn Hughes at $18,000,000 would be in a different financial stratosphere entirely for a blue-liner.
The number reflects what the market now believes a true franchise defenseman is worth at the peak of his powers. Hughes has been one of the most productive offensive defensemen in the league for several seasons running.
The timing is complicated by everything happening in Vancouver right now. The Canucks finished 25-49-8 last season, dead last in the league with 58 points. They allowed 316 goals. GM Ryan Johnson and co-presidents Henrik and Daniel Sedin are rebuilding from scratch with a tight ownership budget.
Absorbing $18,000,000 on one defenseman when the entire organization is in money-in, money-out mode is not a simple decision. Not even for a player of Hughes's caliber.
Hughes extension would define the Canucks rebuild direction for years
This is the defining question for Vancouver's new front office. Do you build the rebuild around Hughes at $18,000,000 and accept the cap constraints that come with it? Or do you trade him while his value is at its absolute peak and collect the assets needed to rebuild properly?
A three-year term is notable. It's not a long-term commitment, but at that number, it still reshapes the entire cap structure of a team trying to get lean.
Rick Dhaliwal reported this week that ownership wants money out before money comes in. An $18,000,000 defenseman doesn't fit that directive quietly.
What Ryan Johnson decides here will define what kind of rebuild Vancouver is actually running.
Should the Canucks sign Quinn Hughes to an $18M extension despite their rebuild mandate?
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