Quinn Hughes makes a statement on his future in Vancouver and Canucks fans are freaking out

Vancouver Canucks President Jim Rutherford ignited a bit of controversy earlier this offseason when he admitted openly that captain Quinn Hughes' future is out of his control and that eventually Hughes would like to play with his brothers Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes.

"He (Quinn) has said before that he'd like to play with his brothers," Rutherford said back in late April. "That would be partly out of our control, but in our control if we bring his brothers here. This franchise cannot afford to lose a guy like Quinn Hughes, and we will do everything we can to keep him here but at the end of the day it'll be his decision."

It was a pretty surprising admission from Rutherford and one that immediately thrust Hughes into trade talks amongst NHL fans. Hughes is entering year five of a six year contract that pays him $7.85 million per season and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the 2027 offseason. Is his plan to walk to free agency and then sign with the New Jersey Devils to join Jack and Luke?

On Tuesday Jack was asked about that possibility and... well... he was just as open and honest as Rutherford was back in April.

"This is the headline question, you know? Honestly, I'm not afraid to say it. Yeah, I would love for Quinn to eventually... I'd love to play with him," Jack said to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun earlier today. "And whether that's in New Jersey or at what time that takes, at some point I want to play with Quinn. But yeah, that's the question going around. They talk all day about it up in Vancouver, you know? But yeah I'd love to play with Quinn at some point.”

Quinn isn't able to sign an extension with the Canucks until July 1, 2026 and if he doesn't re-up with the team next offseason then you can bet the speculation will run wild in Vancouver for the entirety of the 2026-27 season.

Quinn himself was asked for his thoughts on the matter by NHL insider Elliotte Friedman and whether or not he plans on signing long-term with the Canucks next summer. His answer has Canucks fans very, very nervous.

Quinn was asked point blank, "Do the Canucks have a chance to keep you?"

His response? "As far as that question... I'll answer it with my actions next summer."

Quinn followed that up by saying, "Anything can change. If we have a terrible year that's probably not going to be very fun. But if we have a terrific year; that's what we want."

Not exactly a ringing endorsement, eh Canucks fans? It's clear that Quinn is choosing his words wisely and is hesitant to commit to this team, at least at this point in time. Whether or not he sticks long-term in Vancouver will probably be determined by the team's success this season.

Game on.