NHL analyst Patrick Johnston has challenged circulating rumors about a possible Luke Hughes trade to the Vancouver Canucks. Luke Hughes, the younger brother of New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes and Canucks captain Quinn Hughes, remains a valuable asset for New Jersey, making such a move doubtful.
During the Seekers and Price podcast on Tuesday, Johnston expressed skepticism about New Jersey’s willingness to trade Luke Hughes, emphasizing the complications surrounding such a transaction in the current salary cap environment.
“If you’re the New Jersey Devils, I just have the hardest time imagining they’re willingly trading Luke Hughes,” Johnston said.
He pointed out that offer sheets require teams with limited cap space willing to take on contracts, a scenario that reduces the chances of Luke joining Vancouver.
“This is the thing I remember when the offer sheet idea first came up. I’m just like, ‘you have to find a team that has no cap space,'” Johnston said. “The caps going up, so almost nobody’s in trouble, and you have to find a willing participant and be able to make an offer that the other team’s just gonna say no to.”
“I understand the case. I’ve said this is like, ‘sure, yeah,’ you’d love a defenseman like that. I’m just not sure the Canucks have really what it takes to pry that from a team that’s not going to want to trade him anyway.”
Luke Hughes’ Performance and Contract Status
Luke Hughes tallied seven goals and 37 assists for a total of 44 points in the 2024-25 NHL season. Despite the Devils making the playoffs, they were eliminated in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes. After completing his three-year rookie contract, Hughes is now a restricted free agent awaiting a new deal from New Jersey.
Having demonstrated the potential to be a top-tier defenseman, the Devils appear unlikely to let him go, reinforcing the improbability of a trade to the Canucks. Johnston summed up this view during the podcast.
“Sorry, Matt, just pouring cold water on it,” Johnston said.
The idea of Luke Hughes joining Vancouver to play alongside his brother Quinn seems more aspirational than feasible at this stage.
New Jersey Devils Management on Hughes’ Contract Negotiations
Nearly two months have passed since Luke Hughes became a restricted free agent without a finalized contract. Discussions between Hughes, his agent Pat Brisson, and Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald are ongoing. Fitzgerald emphasized in June that securing a long-term deal with Luke was a primary focus for the team.
“Luke’s excited,” Fitzgerald said, via NHL.com. “He wants to be a Devil long-term, just like his brother (Jack). We’re excited about that… I don’t sense anything other than Luke wants to be a Devil for a long time.”
As training camp approaches in the coming weeks, speculation about Hughes’ future continues to build, but New Jersey’s commitment to retaining him seems clear.
Implications for the Canucks and New Jersey
The likelihood of a Luke Hughes trade to the Canucks remains low given New Jersey’s stance and Hughes’ performance trajectory. The Devils are intent on cementing their promising defenseman through a long-term extension, which would solidify their roster moving forward. Vancouver fans hoping for a reunion of the Hughes brothers on the same team may need to temper expectations in the near term.
With the salary cap space and competing priorities in play, any trade involving Luke Hughes would require significant shifts in team strategies that currently seem improbable. The coming months and contract negotiations will be critical in defining Hughes’ place in the NHL landscape.