Former Canuck Quinn Hughes met by boos and 'you suck' chants on 1st return game to Vancouver

Chants of "Hughes, you suck" rained down as former-Vancouver Canuck Quinn Hughes hit the ice at Rogers Arena for the first time since a blockbuster trade sent him to Minnesota.

Whenever Hughes carried the puck in Sunday's game, boos and heckles roared through the arena. And anytime Hughes fell to the ice, cheers broke out in the stands. 

It was the American-born Hughes' first taste of playing against Vancouver in the city that drafted him seventh overall in 2018. 

Former general manager Patrik Allvin traded Hughes on Dec. 12, 2025, after the club reportedly learned that Hughes didn't intend to sign a contract extension with the team beyond 2027. 

For the Norris Trophy-winning defenceman, the Canucks received centre Marco Rossi, forward Liam Öhgren, defenceman Zeev Buium and the Wild's 2026 first-round pick, which the team used to select Adam Novotny 24th overall.

At the end of last season, the organization's former president of hockey operations, Jim Rutherford, said Hughes didn't leave Vancouver because the team was underperforming, rather "he was leaving anyways."

Rutherford pointed to the desire from some American players to play in the U.S. over Canada.

Jim Rutherford, former president of hockey operations for the Canucks, says Hughes left at a time when some American players were looking to play at home. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

He also said the club would shift its focus to build around its young core.

"[We've] got a number of good young players coming. So, this team's going in the right direction. How long that takes? I don't know, I'd only be guessing," he said.

In a September poll posted to X by local sports show Donnie & Dhali, roughly 66 per cent of respondents said the Canucks should not honour Hughes when they host