Quinn Hughes sends message to fans in Vancouver.

The Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild made a stunning trade this week when the Canucks sent star defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Wild in exchange for forwards Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, defenseman Zeev Buium, and a first round pick at the 2026 National Hockey League Entry Draft.

It is a trade that is very likely to go down as the biggest trade of the season and it is a trade that will have major ramifications for both of the teams involved for years to come. Given the level of the stakes that we are talking about here it can often be easy to forget that there are human beings involved in these deals, human beings who live full lives that extend well beyond just the sport of hockey.

Over the weekend Hughes, who up until this point had only ever played for the Vancouver Canucks at the National Hockey League level, took the time to go on social media and share his thoughts with the fan base he was leaving. Hughes expressed his gratitude not only for the fans but for the organization that he spent the last 7 years of his life with, taking the time to thank his teammates and the staff that helped him get to where he is today.

Here is Hughes message, unedited and in full:

I am very proud to have played for the Vancouver Canucks for 7 years, I loved the passion in the city & it brought me some of the most exciting times of my life, living out my dream. What makes playing in Vancouver so special is the people, the city, and what the team means to them! I will always be proud to have represented the Canucks!

I want to thank Francesco Aquilini and the entire Aquilini family for everything they have done for me the last seven years, they have been first class and I will always be grateful to them. Thank you to Jim Rutherford and Adam Foote for their belief and mentorship. All the staff over the years for always being there for me. Thank you to my teammates, met some of my best friends.

In saying that I am ready for this next chapter and I couldn’t be more excited to be in The State of Hockey! See you tomorrow Minnesota!

You can see the original post from the now former Canucks star just below: