In the end, it was a narrow miss for the Vancouver Canucks. The team finished fifth in the Pacific Division and just missed out on a chance to progress through. With Stanley Cup hopes dashed, there is a lot going on in the team behind the scenes, involving Rick Tocchet, Quinn Hughes, and the team’s president, Jim Rutherford. Moreover, Hughes was also accused of ignoring Rutherford. But the real reason behind his act has come to light.

Recently, there was much talk surrounding Rick Tocchet’s return next season. However, after his discussion with the team management, Tocchet opted not to continue with the team. A few minutes after Tocchet made his decision known to the team management, Rutherford dialed the captain of the team, Hughes, to inform him about Tocchet’s decision. However, he was ghosted by Hughes and wasn’t able to connect with him.

Later, it was known that Quinn Hughes had actually gone to attend the NBA game between the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. It was a close contest won by the Pistons 106-103, and it looked like Hughes enjoyed the game, sharing a glimpse of it on his Instagram story.

In a video shared by Canucks Army, Rutherford threw light on the incident, saying, “Yeah, well, I hope he’s playing golf because he usually returns my calls right away. I called him within a half an hour after I talked to Rick. So he hasn’t called me back yet.” However, it looks like the Canucks captain was enjoying the off-season by attending the NBA game.

It has been turbulent times for the Canucks, with Rick Tocchet deciding to quit after an unsatisfactory season. Nonetheless, Hughes is set for a personal honor as he was named a finalist for the NHL’s Norris Trophy, which is for the defensive player with all-around skills. Even as it appeared that Hughes might have ignored the Canucks’ GM, the latter couldn’t stop praising the team’s captain, Hughes.

Canucks President lauds Quinn Hughes despite a disappointing season

Although the Canucks narrowly missed out on a playoff berth, their captain, Hughes, put on solid displays right throughout the season. He was one of the best defensemen of the regular season and even recorded 16 goals and 60 assists, making him one of the top contenders for the Norris Trophy. As a result, he earned praise from Rutherford.

The Canucks president said, “This franchise cannot afford to lose a guy like Quinn Hughes. We will do everything we can to keep him here, but at the end of the day, it’ll be his decision. It may not boil down to money with him. He said before he wants to play with his brothers. That would be partly out of our control—in our control if we brought his brothers here.”

Hughes’ contract ends after the 2026-27 season. With a $7.85 million cap hit, he is currently on a six-year contract, which was signed in 2021. With Rick Tocchet not returning next season, it remains to be seen if Hughes extends his contract with his current owners.