Trade Noise Continues to Build Around Canucks' Quinn Hughes

The Quinn Hughes trade speculation isn't going away. If anything, it's getting louder by the day, and now one of hockey's most connected insiders has confirmed what many have suspected. There are real conversations happening around the Canucks captain, even if Vancouver doesn't want to acknowledge it publicly.

Elliotte Friedman addressed the growing noise on the 32 Thoughts Podcast, providing some clarity on where things stand while also acknowledging just how sensitive this situation has become for the Canucks organization.

The Slip That Sparked More Questions

Friedman pointed to a moment that caught the attention of fans and media alike. Hughes referred to New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald as "Fitzy" during a postgame interview, and people immediately jumped to conclusions.

"Quinn Hughes refers to Tom Fitzgerald as Fitzy in the post game and people were like he's a Devil, he's calling the GM by his nickname. I mean, we can all see this. It's a big deal and I think for a lot of people it's kryptonite. They don't really want to pour gasoline on the fire," he said.

That kind of slip, intentional or not, only adds fuel to the speculation. When your franchise player is casually using nicknames for other team's general managers, it raises eyebrows and makes people wonder just how far along conversations might be.

Talks Are Happening

Friedman made it clear that once the Canucks put out their internal memo regarding Hughes, there was at least one conversation between the relevant parties about where everything stands and where things are headed.

“I think there are talks going on around Hughes, and it’s just difficult to handicap how long it’s going to take.”

In the latest 32 Thoughts, @FriedgeHNIC and @sportsnetkyle break down the growing trade noise around Quinn Hughes and more.

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"I think once the Canucks put the memo out, I think there was a conversation. I don't know who initiated it and I don't know exactly what was said, but I know they talked at least once. It was about, okay, where does everything stand and where are we going?"

That's significant. Even if nothing is imminent, the fact that there's been direct communication suggests this isn't just media speculation anymore. There are real discussions taking place about Hughes' future.

Detroit in the Mix

Friedman also addressed the Detroit Red Wings as a potential landing spot, reiterating his belief that a deal could be made if both sides wanted it to happen.

"I do believe that if Vancouver and Detroit wanted to make a deal, I do believe there is a deal to be made there and I also think they've talked."

The Red Wings make sense for all the reasons that have been discussed. Family ties, Michigan connections, a roster ready to compete. But Friedman made it clear that Vancouver is extremely reluctant to engage publicly on the topic.

"I can tell you one team that absolutely does not want to talk about it and that's Vancouver. They out and out refused and I understand because it's their backyard. It's a very sensitive thing for them."

Timeline Remains Unclear

Despite all the noise and confirmed conversations, Friedman cautioned that predicting when or where this ends up is still difficult.

"I think there are talks going on around Hughes and it's just difficult to handicap how long it's going to take or where it's going to end up."

The speculation isn't going anywhere, and with Friedman confirming real talks are happening, the pressure on Vancouver to make a decision is only going to intensify.

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