NHL insider confirms players blocked Quinn Hughes trade to New Jersey.

The National Hockey League was floored last week when it was announced that the Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild had orchestrated a blockbuster trade deal that sent superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild.

Many were surprised by the announcement given that Hughes had been so heavily linked to the New Jersey Devils where 2 of his brother's play, and there may very well be good reason for that surprise.

On Monday morning, National Hockey League insider Elliotte Friedman revealed that the Devils had indeed tried to clear the necessary cap space to acquire Hughes in a trade, but had been unable to do so because of their own players. According to Friedman one or more players vetoed trades that were on the table, using the trade protection afforded to them in their contracts to do so.

"I do believe the Devils have had a couple of deals vetoed," revealed Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast. "I don't know who, I don't know what, but I do believe that's happened. There's too much noise out there for that not to have occurred."

Because of his inability to get the deal done some have suggested that Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald could be on the hot seat, however Friedman downplayed that idea.

"Some people were wondering if Fitzgerald was in trouble, I don't believe that," said Friedman. "God only knows what could happen in the future but if you're saying to me that the New Jersey Devils are on the cusp of a GM change, I don't believe that. I don't believe that is the case at all."

Now to be clear it doesn't necessarily mean that any players blocked a trade to the Vancouver Canucks, as the Devils could have simply been working on cap clearing moves with other teams in order to facilitate a trade for Hughes to New Jersey. Unfortunately the Devils never got there and will now be left wondering what could have been had they not handed out trade protection to the players who vetoed these moves.