The Canucks have just been hit with the worst possible Quinn Hughes update yet, as NHL insider James Mirtle doesn't believe the captain will remain in Vancouver. The <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/vancouver-canucks/eastern-conference-team-trying-to-get-canucks-quinn-hughes-nhl-insider-reveals' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Vancouver Canucks stand at the cusp of a defining juncture</a> with captain Quinn Hughes, and things don't bode well. Last season, following an 18th-place finish with 90 points, the Canucks seemed bogged down in the middle class of the NHL. Even considering betterment, ongoing ambiguity regarding Elias Pettersson and Thatcher Demko prevents one from seeing Vancouver as a legitimate Western Conference contender. For Quinn Hughes, one of the league's best defensemen and now an annual Norris Trophy contender, doubts about the team's ability to be competitive may be a consideration for his future. With two years remaining on his deal, the specter of a mega-trade looms bigger if the Canucks don't make significant improvement this season. <a href='https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6562631/2025/08/21/nhl-cap-accrual-quinn-hughes-flyers-panthers/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>NHL insider James Mirtle doesn't believe that will be the case</a>, and an eventual exit seems likely. Re Quinn Hughes: Maybe Vancouver surprises and has a huge bounce-back season that convinces their captain to stay. Feels unlikely to me, to be honest; Otherwise, they have to start contemplating what a blockbuster trade might look like. - James Mirtle <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/NHLRumourReport/status/1958941156009492648'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> <h3>James Mirtle Believes the New Jersey Devils are the Likely Destination for Hughes</h3> If there was a trade, the New Jersey Devils appear a natural fit. Hughes' desire to join his brothers' group of teammates can be a seamless fit for the Devils' timeline and cap space. When the 2027-28 season rolls around, New Jersey will have over $60 million of space on the cap, even without factoring in possible future contracts for key players. With free agents such as Ondrej Palat and Brenden Dillon's contracts expiring and the salary cap on the rise, the Devils would be able to accommodate a blue-chip Hughes extension even at $15 million-plus. For New Jersey, picking up Hughes would be a franchise-altering acquisition, installing a second superstar on a roster that already boasts many young stars. For Vancouver, the clock starts now as to whether it can build a contender before one of its shiniest stars explores other options.