Quinn Hughes Trade Makes Central Division Even More Brutal

Quinn Hughes being traded to the Minnesota Wild from the Vancouver Canucks sent countless ripples throughout the hockey world. The trade, which sent Hughes to St. Paul in exchange for Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium and the Wild’s first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, is one of the largest transactions in the past several years and is sure to make a major impact on the race to win the Stanley Cup.

That’s especially true in the Central Division, where franchises that aspire to win hockey’s greatest prize are abundant. Of course, there’s the Colorado Avalanche and their fierce scoring. The Dallas Stars are also a formidable bunch with their depth and strong goaltending.

Then there’s the Wild, who, after acquiring Hughes, see themselves as ready to challenge those two head-on. That trio doesn’t even include teams such as the Utah Mammoth or the Chicago Blackhawks, two squads that feature young talent that might one day be ready to completely take over the NHL.

In the meantime, however, it appears that it’s a battle between the Avalanche, Stars and Wild. Whichever team can emerge as the top dog out of that tussle will most likely be the favorite to raise the Stanley Cup next summer.

The Best Teams in the West Reside in the Central

Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger and right wing Mikko Rantane — Dec 7, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) and right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) celebrate after the Stars defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

If the season were to conclude today, the Avalanche and Stars would be the top two teams in the Western Conference — by a fair margin, too. The Wild are tied for third alongside the Vegas Golden Knights and the Anaheim Ducks.

What makes the Central Division so tough? The simple answer is that there’s an incredible abundance of talent within the division — especially at the top. The Avalanche employ Nathan MacKinnon, who’s most likely going to take home the Hart Trophy at the end of the season assuming he keeps up the pace. The Stars rely on incredible depth that’s headlined by Mikko Rantanen and Miro Heiskanen, among many other players.

Then there’s Minnesota, which now has one of, if not the, best defensemen in the league in Hughes to pair alongside stoppers such as Brock Faber, Jonas Brodin, Jared Spurgeon and Jake Middleton. Oh, and that’s not to mention forwards like Kiril Kaprizov, who also play an integral role in the Wild’s success.

But having high-level talent is something that a ton of divisions in hockey possess. What makes the Central Division different is the stud defensemen that patrol the blue line within its walls.

The Best Defensemen Call the Central Division Home

Dec 9, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators left wing Erik Haula (56) skates against Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Offenses are going to have to prepare themselves for some potentially tough times when they face Cale Makar, Miro Heiskanen and Hughes — all of whom reside in a single division. For opponents of the Avalanche, Stars and Wild, that’s incredibly frightening.

Hughes is arguably the best out of that group, though that can be debated and discussed for hours on end between fans of those three teams. Regardless, his prowess is well known throughout the league — hence the massive haul the Wild had to give up to acquire his services. Through 26 games in 2025, he has accumulated 23 points — two goals and 21 assists — and has consistently been one of, if not the, best players in Vancouver’s lineup night in and night out.

Hughes also brings some hardware along with him. He won the Norris Trophy — the award honoring the NHL’s best defenseman — following the 2023-24 season. It was during that campaign that he accumulated a whopping 92 points, 75 of which were assists.

Makar also has won the Norris, once for his performance during the 2021-22 season and again after 2024-25. He also won the Calder Trophy following his rookie year.

At the end of the day, Hughes being traded to the Wild only makes the Central Division even tougher than it already was. Because it was a gauntlet before he arrived, and now it’s a meat grinder.

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