Young, puck moving offensive defenceman are all the rage in today’s NHL. Players like Cale Makar, Miro Heiskanen and Adam Fox are just a few examples of what every team is looking for in a young, cornerstone d-man. There are so many young players getting recognition early in their careers, yet somehow in his third season in the league, Quinn Hughes is still overlooked among the young defenseman in the league today.
There was definitely hype when Hughes burst onto the scene in Vancouver. From being a top-two Calder Trophy nominee, to being in the top-15 in Norris Trophy voting his first season. But it has evaporated quickly with the rise of some other defenders across the league. Not to mention, some veteran players that are still at the top off the league including Victor Hedman, Roman Josi, Kris Letang and John Carlson just top name a few. But with Hughes, there isn’t a part of his game that hasn’t grown since entering the league in 2018. His offensive totals have been there since day one, his defensive game has come a long way, and he is becoming an integral leader and a major part of the core for the Canucks.
Offensive Totals So Far
If there is a way to get hyped yp around the NHL as a defenceman, it’s on the offensive side of the puck. Hughes’ offensive totals so far in his career have been right on the elite level with some of the players who are seemly being talked about daily. While they deserve to be, Hughes needs to be a part off that group and daily conversation as well, and when compared to some of his younger counterparts, he’s right there.
Through his first three seasons in the league, Hughes has compiled 122 points through 159 games, averaging .77 points-per game (PPG). While Makar is definitely playing on another level with 129 points through his first 101 games (1.28 PPG), Hughes is on par with some of the best in the game. To put it in perspective of some of the other top defensemen around the league, the reining Norris Trophy winner Fox, has put up 126 points in 163 games in his career, which accumulates to .77 PPG. Identical to Hughes. Victor Hedman, who is arguably the best defender in the game today, has 139 points over his last three seasons (159 games), which equals out to .87 PPG. Those numbers are not that far off, though many would argue Hedman’s defensive game is far superior to Hughes’. Having said that, his defensive game has come a long way.