The Vancouver Canucks' blockbuster deal sending Quinn Hughes to Minnesota looked like a reasonable haul at the time, but emerging analysis suggests the team may have undersold one of the league's elite defensemen. While the Canucks landed young talent in Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, and Zeev Buium along with a first-round pick, questions linger about whether they captured enough value for a 26-year-old Norris Trophy winner putting up 70-plus points annually.

Vancouver's promising defenseman Zeev Buium took a puck to the face against Pittsburgh and managed to finish the game, but medical tests revealed a fracture that will keep him out through the Olympic break. The 20-year-old has emerged as a key piece on the Canucks' blue line since arriving in a blockbuster trade that sent Quinn Hughes to Minnesota, and his absence leaves the team scrambling defensively during a challenging stretch.

Bill Guerin reshapes the Minnesota Wild's trade strategy around the prize they just pried from Vancouver - Quinn Hughes - with every deadline whisper now tying back to keeping that elite defenseman locked in long-term. After coughing up Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium, and their 2026 first-rounder, the front office hunts top-six center upgrades to complement Hughes' game-changing presence alongside Faber and Brodin.