Everyone is talking about how defenseman and captain of the Vancouver Canucks, Quinn Hughes, is such a lock to join the New Jersey Devils next summer via a trade or when he potentially hits free agency in the summer of 2027. Everyone knows that Quinn is a franchise-changing defenseman. Not only is he the Canucks number one defenseman on the top pairing, playing the left side. So if he came to the New Jersey Devils, where would this lead Luke Hughes?
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As DevilsNation.com has documented, Luke Hughes is becoming the Devils’ number one defenseman. He has taken strides over the last couple of seasons, mainly last season, when injuries to Jonas Siegenthaler and Dougie Hamilton hampered the Devils. The youngest Hughes is proving he can handle top minutes not only five-on-five, but number-one power play minutes as well. It is becoming clear that it is his defence now.
And if Quinn Hughes were to come aboard, that would come to an end for Luke Hughes. There would be many people scratching their heads, asking why? Well, both are left-shot defenseman. Thus, Quinn would be on the top pair, with Luke stuck on the second pairing. Not to mention, the eldest Hughes brother would be on the top power play unit alongside Dougie Hamilton, relegating Luke Hughes to the second unit.
Now, many will say Luke Hughes doesn’t play top minutes anyway. However, that was probably going to change this season as the Devils might have operated in a three-forward and two-defensemen scheme on power play one. This is why the contract negotiation with this restricted free agent defenseman is taking so long.
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Say, for instance, the Devils were to bring in Quinn Hughes to play alongside Luke and Jack, there is a real possibility Luke Hughes isn’t the highest-paid brother. That is part of the reality in the negotiation between the Devils and Luke Hughes. We know Jack Hughes makes $8 million a season. Quinn Hughes is currently at $7.850 million a season, with that number going up on his next contract.
So being paid the least and having a reduced role is factoring into these negotiations. Now it isn’t the main factor because the season has yet to play out in Vancouver. However, with the salary cap increasing, players are aware that there is potential to hit it big twice; thus, the agent for Luke Hughes is looking to capitalize for his client now.
What is the point of the most Luke Hughes can get, if his development and growth on the blueline will be halted when his brother comes to town? If he genuinely believes the starting point for a contract negotiation is Brock Faber‘s $8.5 million a season, then the Devils have to play Luke Hughes on the top unit. There is no other way to justify that type of money, or else he is a second-pairing guy making under $8 million, if the plan is truly to get the other three Hughes brothers together on the same team.
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So, with Luke Hughes emerging at the Devils’ top pairing, left-shot defenseman, the best decision for him would be not to have Quinn Hughes on the team. Again, as Elliotte Friedman notes on the 32 Thoughts Podcast, who would be the Alpha on the blueline, Quinn or Luke? It would be Quinn.
It was just interesting that Luke Hughes took a big step last year. And obviously, he’s a hugely important player to the future of the Devils. But they’re both lefty shots. And he was saying, of course, if they’re all brothers and they wanted to make it work, they would all find a way to make it work. But he did say, from a purely who’s the alpha of the blue line question on the left side, that might not be the best thing for Luke, if Quinn were there right now, I didn’t even think about that like it was funny. Somebody sent that to me.
There is a reason why people are saying Luke Hughes is already a top 20 defenseman in the NHL, despite not being ranked on NHL Network’s list for defensemen entering the 2025-26 season. There is still room to grow for Luke Hughes, who was taken 4th overall by the New Jersey Devils in 2021.
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Everyone knows about his stickhandling and skating and how he can move the puck, but as he develops and takes on bigger roles, the play in his own end will come with it. He will limit the turnovers and not look for the big homerun pass all the time. The role in the second pairing is a little different from that in the top pairing, and that is where Luke Hughes wants to be.
If he isn’t there at some point this season, that would be shocking. As he continues to adapt to the NHL, Luke Hughes will only get better and better, but having a player like Quinn Hughes does not help him achieve the expectations the organization has laid out for him. As a matter of fact, it does the opposite.
While everyone will keep dreaming of the scenario the Hughes brothers play together in New Jersey, the best course of action is for the Devils to sign Luke Hughes long-term and make him the face of the blueline.
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