The captain’s three assists Sunday eclipsed the team record of 310 points for defencemen held by Alex Edler
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He didn’t talk about himself, even on his record-setting day. That’s what a true leader does. Hughes doesn’t easily take to personal praise and passes it around like a hot potato, pointing to others for post-game plaudits.
“Our compete level and will to win is really high right now,” noted Hughes.
Hughes eventually got around to adding another franchise record to his collection of achievements. His three assists Sunday eclipsed the team record of 310 points for defencemen held by Alex Edler. He did it in 925 games and Hughes needed just 388 and now sits at 313 helpers.
And in true Hughes fashion, he thanked his time with Edler to help show him the way.
“I was lucky to have Eddie for two years and he was a great teammate,” said Hughes. “I’ve been able to play with good players.”
That in itself is a good story about the impact Hughes has had on the game and the respect he rightly deserves from his peers and the public.
Hughes almost settled the issue Sunday, but was denied in overtime, and finished with four shots and 10 attempts in a monster 31:04 of ice time.
We’ve come to accept his fleet feet, quick thinking and laser passing to easily transition from defending to offending the opposition with what he might do next.
He has added another element to the attack with his offensive-zone presence and wheeling and dealing to set up the perfect play or shot. That stuff comes naturally to Hughes, not to others, and setting records is the result.
It’s the culmination of a strong family sporting lineage where respecting others is of paramount importance. Combine that with the competitive push from brothers Jack and Luke and you get Quinn.
“If not the best defenceman in the league, he sure puts up a good argument. It’s the family and the want to be better and elite.”
Those who have played against Hughes have always marvelled about his ability to escape trouble and spring forwards.
“I’ve never been with a player on the ice where you want to give him the puck because it’s probably going to come back to you in a better spot,” said winger Jake DeBrusk, who scored the winner Sunday for his second career hat-trick.
“He’s so skilled. Teams plan for him every single night, but he still has so much success and is a leader. I’ve never seen a guy dominate so much with his skating.”
Which, of course, brings us back to that fateful day at the 2018 NHL draft. The Canucks expected to land a defenceman with the seventh-overall selection, but certainly not Hughes.
They had a better chance of getting Evan Bouchard (10th overall) or Noah Dobson (12th) than the University of Michigan star who seemed like the perfect pick for the Red Wings at No.6.
We all know what happened. Detroit passed on Hughes, in favour of winger Filip Zadina, and Canucks general manager Jim Benning then did the one-man wave. A kid who was changing the game was coming to Vancouver and not the Motor City.
Hughes wasn’t surprised, even though his hockey lineage and familiarity with Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill looked like it was lining up to be a no-brainer pick.
Hughes had a strong connection with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and played in two world hockey championships for Blashill.
“I was kind of told a couple of days earlier that I wasn’t going to the Red Wings,” Hughes told Postmedia. “I just wrapped my head around that.
“It was awesome and I’m grateful for that (world championship) experience and to do it for two years and to play against pro guys.”
Hughes has won a Norris Trophy and is currently second in defenceman scoring with 28 points (5-23) in 23 games and just four back of Colorado Avalanche stalwart Cale Marker, who has played two more games.
Meanwhile, Zadina is playing for Davos is the Swiss-A league. His NHL experience amounted to 91 points (41-50) in 262 games with the Red Wings and San Jose Sharks over five seasons. He never scored more than 13 goals.