NHL insider reveals the real reason Quinn Hughes was traded.

The Vancouver Canucks shocked the hockey world this week when they made the move to trade superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes. Hughes was dealt to the Minnesota Wild for a significant return, forwards Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren, defenseman Zeev Buium and a first-round pick at the 2026 National Hockey League Entry Draft.

Despite the return fans in Vancouver have understandably been upset by the fact that arguably one of the best players in franchise history has been traded away in the prime of his career, but the Canucks may have had very little choice in the matter.

On Saturday night, National Hockey League insider Elliotte Friedman revealed the real reason that the Canucks moved so quickly to make this trade.

"The best information I could get in the aftermath of this shocking trade is that he informed them right before U.S. Thanksgiving... he would not be signing an extension with them this summer," revealed Friedman on Hockey Night in Canada.

Although the Canucks moved quickly in an effort to get the best possible return for Hughes, there was another factor that limited their ability to maximize that return. Not only did Hughes have no intention of signing an extension with the Canucks, he also wasn't signing one anywhere else.

"There is no doubt, not at all, that a number of teams were really scared off about the fact that Hughes would not provide a long term commitment at this time," said Friedman.

Friedman would go on to highlight that the only teams who were willing to make a trade at this time and under those circumstances were the New Jersey Devils and of course the Minnesota Wild who would eventually acquire Hughes. According to Friedman, a number of trade clauses prevented the Devils from clearing the necessary cap space and the Wild pounced at the chance to make this trade.

Friedman also made it clear that he feels the Canucks got the best possible deal they could have given the position they were put in.

"I'm not seeing that here at all," said Friedman. "I know the Canucks' fans are really disappointed, I understand it, but I don't in this circumstance they could have got a better deal than this one."