Prospect Info: Quinn Hughes, Pt. III

[Billy Kvcmu]

I agree with you. He has incredible upside if he can figure out some decision making issues and then defend in the NHL against bigger and stronger players. I think it remains to be seen if he can do either- and it isn't close to certain that he won't need to be sheltered in his career. If he can impose himself on the game in the same way he has in these lower leagues, and overcome his defensive issues, he could be so special. If he doesn't, he could lose all confidence and become a constant liability. I don't think the worst case scenario is likely, but in my opinion, it is not a slam dunk that he can figure it out. We will see. Certainly hopeful he can be the unique D who can handle all situations and still control the game, because with his skill set, it would be so much fun to have that in Vancouver!

I do appreciate seeing a wider rage of opinion about him. I also think it is important to find him the right fit for a partner that can compliment him as he comes into the league and beyond.

I just want to say unreliable defenseman usually are the one lacking hockey IQ, Quinn already passed that check mark

 

[Canucks1096]

I agree with you. He has incredible upside if he can figure out some decision making issues and then defend in the NHL against bigger and stronger players. I think it remains to be seen if he can do either- and it isn't close to certain that he won't need to be sheltered in his career. If he can impose himself on the game in the same way he has in these lower leagues, and overcome his defensive issues, he could be so special. If he doesn't, he could lose all confidence and become a constant liability. I don't think the worst case scenario is likely, but in my opinion, it is not a slam dunk that he can figure it out. We will see. Certainly hopeful he can be the unique D who can handle all situations and still control the game, because with his skill set, it would be so much fun to have that in Vancouver!

I do appreciate seeing a wider rage of opinion about him. I also think it is important to find him the right fit for a partner that can compliment him as he comes into the league and beyond.

His decision making is actually one of his strength.

I watched half of the Michigan games. Wjc last year. Read his scouting reports. I don't see or read anything about Hughes having defensive issues.

It's a different nhl. It's not 1998 anymore. If he had so many issues there Is no way every scount ranked him so high in the Draft.

 

[bobbyb2009]

His decision making is actually one of his strength.

I watched half of the Michigan games. Wjc last year. Read his scouting reports. I don't see or read anything about Hughes having defensive issues.

It's a different nhl. It's not 1998 anymore. If he had so many issues there Is no way every scount ranked him so high in the Draft.

I can't force you to see it, but of course he has to get better and make different decisions, just like every single Junior aged defensemen has to learn to do. And of course he hopefully has the IQ to adapt, but EVERY young player needs to adapt.

And yeah, it isn't 1998 anymore. It isn't Sunday anymore either, but I am not sure what this has to do with the obvious and certain fact that he still has to learn new ways and new strategies for imposing himself on men that are stronger, faster, smarter, and better than anything he has faced before (on any regular basis). OK... but it is almost too bad the men are not as big and slow and dumb as they were in 1998, because he would skate circles around them if he could avoid getting hurt, beat to a pulp, "Paul Kariya'd," and if he could have defended the front of the net. That would have been fun to see if some coach would have given him a chance lol

He is a wonderful talent, without doubt.

A few responses:
There is no doubt he, like all young dominant defenders (take Dahlin for example), takes risks that will not work at the NHL level, while taking other risks that will. Just yesterday, there were comments about Dahlin making changes to the risks he takes, and then successfully impacting games because of it- the learning curve has been so rapid. I expect the same from Hughes. But today, he is a wonderfully talented player that controls games but also sometimes makes big mistakes with the puck, turing it over or roaming into spaces that expose his team when he or someone else turns the puck over. NHL players will expose those mistakes much more than college players will- can there be any debate about that? The decisions in offence will have to made differently. He will have to learn about when to the those risks and when to not to.

There is also no doubt that his world class skating, active stick, and hockey IQ allows him to defend all sorts of ways, and provides him with the tools to potentially overcome his 5'9" light frame, but he is most certainly not learned to focus on defending at a priority when he has to. He hasn't had to, because he has the puck so much. He is going to have to learn how to defend down low, how to defend gaps, how to focus on being part of a 5 man defensive unit, in part just like all young players have to, but in this case, highlighted by the fact this is not something he is even asked to think about to date because of how good he is the other way. I want him to be able to be a number 1, and when we are trying to kill a game off, I want to be able to put him out there with our top pair to do that. Do you really believe he is that guy today?

If he can make his offence so special at the nhl level, he will have to defend much less. But to play in all situations, he is still going to have to defend offensive players that have proven to have an impact he only hope to be able to have one day. This is going to take some new skill development for him.

I am a fan and believe he has a unique understanding of the game, but let's see if makes this changes- but changes that are!

 

[bobbyb2009]

I just want to say unreliable defenseman usually are the one lacking hockey IQ, Quinn already passed that check mark

Agree. So hopefully he can use that IQ to learn the strategies necessary to succeed in the NHL. And hopefully he has an appropriate parter to help him to do so.

 

[docbenton]

I can't force you to see it, but of course he has to get better and make different decisions, just like every single Junior aged defensemen has to learn to do. And of course he hopefully has the IQ to adapt, but EVERY young player needs to adapt.

And yeah, it isn't 1998 anymore. It isn't Sunday anymore either, but I am not sure what this has to do with the obvious and certain fact that he still has to learn new ways and new strategies for imposing himself on men that are stronger, faster, smarter, and better than anything he has faced before (on any regular basis). OK... but it is almost too bad the men are not as big and slow and dumb as they were in 1998, because he would skate circles around them if he could avoid getting hurt, beat to a pulp, "Paul Kariya'd," and if he could have defended the front of the net. That would have been fun to see if some coach would have given him a chance lol

He is a wonderful talent, without doubt.

A few responses:
There is no doubt he, like all young dominant defenders (take Dahlin for example), takes risks that will not work at the NHL level, while taking other risks that will. Just yesterday, there were comments about Dahlin making changes to the risks he takes, and then successfully impacting games because of it- the learning curve has been so rapid. I expect the same from Hughes. But today, he is a wonderfully talented player that controls games but also sometimes makes big mistakes with the puck, turing it over or roaming into spaces that expose his team when he or someone else turns the puck over. NHL players will expose those mistakes much more than college players will- can there be any debate about that? The decisions in offence will have to made differently. He will have to learn about when to the those risks and when to not to.

There is also no doubt that his world class skating, active stick, and hockey IQ allows him to defend all sorts of ways, and provides him with the tools to potentially overcome his 5'9" light frame, but he is most certainly not learned to focus on defending at a priority when he has to. He hasn't had to, because he has the puck so much. He is going to have to learn how to defend down low, how to defend gaps, how to focus on being part of a 5 man defensive unit, in part just like all young players have to, but in this case, highlighted by the fact this is not something he is even asked to think about to date because of how good he is the other way. I want him to be able to be a number 1, and when we are trying to kill a game off, I want to be able to put him out there with our top pair to do that. Do you really believe he is that guy today?

If he can make his offence so special at the nhl level, he will have to defend much less. But to play in all situations, he is still going to have to defend offensive players that have proven to have an impact he only hope to be able to have one day. This is going to take some new skill development for him.

I am a fan and believe he has a unique understanding of the game, but let's see if makes this changes- but changes that are!

I would argue he has the puck so much because he wins battles or steals with puck with a quick stick and skates away from pressure. Michigan is not a great team this year outside of their top line and he's obviously a big possession driver for them. It's not like he's just being handed the puck all the time by his forwards or his D partner.

I think part of his risk taking comes from not trusting his shot to be enough of a threat. I think it's more important that he develop his shot than any other part of his game. I swear if he can shoot the puck like Torey Krug he's a point-per-game player next year.

 

[bobbyb2009]

I would argue he has the puck so much because he wins battles or steals with puck with a quick stick and skates away from pressure. Michigan is not a great team this year outside of their top line and he's obviously a big possession driver for them. It's not like he's just being handed the puck all the time by his forwards or his D partner.

I think part of his risk taking comes from not trusting his shot to be enough of a threat. I think it's more important that he develop his shot than any other part of his game. I swear if he can shoot the puck like Torey Krug he's a point-per-game player next year.

Interesting take actually. I agree that if his shot was a threat, it would change a lot...

 

[Steely Van]

How about Boeser teach Hughes how to shoot. And Hughes teach Brock to skate. Then Pettersson teach both of them how to combine both skills together.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Someone mentioned it on Twitter that I almost forgot
If Quinn plays this season then we have to protect him from the 2021 expansion draft.

Let him start next season so he can be exempted from expansion draft

 

[Pip]

It depends. Getting some NHL games this season could be very good for his development

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

I wouldn't worry bout protecting Hughes. There are not many players on this team right now you'd want to protect anyway.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

I wouldn't worry bout protecting Hughes. There are not many players on this team right now you'd want to protect anyway.

Yeah I think we have plenty of Sbisa’s we can afford to lose this time around too!

 

[StreetHawk]

I wouldn't worry bout protecting Hughes. There are not many players on this team right now you'd want to protect anyway.

It is more about being opportunistic. If Hughes is exempt because Michigan gets to the frozen four finals and thus doesn’t play a game for them this season.

Gives the Canucks the opportunity to go talk to other teams about making a trade for a Dman that a team can’t protext. Say Anaheim. Fowler, Lindholm, Montour, Manson, Larson. Deal a forward to get a D.

But if Michigan is done early then you sign him. But there is a benefit if Michigan gets to the finals.

 

[UticaHockey]

Someone mentioned it on Twitter that I almost forgot
If Quinn plays this season then we have to protect him from the 2021 expansion draft.

Let him start next season so he can be exempted from expansion draft

Someone can correct me if I am wrong but I don't think Hughes can burn a year off his ELC by playing a couple of games at the end of the season.

Unlike Boeser and Gaudette who were able to burn a full year off their ELCs by signing and playing in a couple of games at the end of the season I don't think that option will exist for Quinn Hughes unless the Canucks make the playoffs. Both Boeser and Gaudette were 20 or above when they signed so their first NHL game burned a year of their ELC. Hughes will still be 19 years old and will need to play in 10 NHL games to burn a year so depending on when Michigan's season ends there will likely be less than 10 games left on the Canucks schedule.

 

[StreetHawk]

Someone can correct me if I am wrong but I don't think Hughes can burn a year off his ELC by playing a couple of games at the end of the season.

Unlike Boeser and Gaudette who were able to burn a full year off their ELCs by signing and playing in a couple of games at the end of the season I don't think that option will exist for Quinn Hughes unless the Canucks make the playoffs. Both Boeser and Gaudette were 20 or above when they signed so their first NHL game burned a year of their ELC. Hughes will still be 19 years old and will need to play in 10 NHL games to burn a year so depending on when Michigan's season ends there will likely be less than 10 games left on the Canucks schedule.

Probably best to check back at who signed in 2015 out of the NCAA. See who matches Quinn’s situation. Hard to know as guys like Lind and Gadjovich with late birthdays are playing in the ahl but they can have their contracts tolled for a year if they don’t played the necessary nhl games which they won’t. Thus they can still be exempt for 2021.

 

[DL44]

Someone can correct me if I am wrong but I don't think Hughes can burn a year off his ELC by playing a couple of games at the end of the season.

Unlike Boeser and Gaudette who were able to burn a full year off their ELCs by signing and playing in a couple of games at the end of the season I don't think that option will exist for Quinn Hughes unless the Canucks make the playoffs. Both Boeser and Gaudette were 20 or above when they signed so their first NHL game burned a year of their ELC. Hughes will still be 19 years old and will need to play in 10 NHL games to burn a year so depending on when Michigan's season ends there will likely be less than 10 games left on the Canucks schedule.

Don’t know if true.. but damn I hope it is...

 

[Fire Benning]

Someone mentioned it on Twitter that I almost forgot
If Quinn plays this season then we have to protect him from the 2021 expansion draft.

Let him start next season so he can be exempted from expansion draft

I don't think that's an issue. We're not gonna have a long list of guys worth protecting.

 

[BrockBesnar]

Seems true for contract years anyway

From CBA 12.1 a:
"A Player aged 18 or 19 earns a year of professional experience by playing ten (10) or more NHL
Games in a given season. A Player aged 20 or older (or who turns 20 between September 16 and
December 31 of the calendar year in which he signs his first SPC) earns a year of professional
experience by playing ten (10) or more Professional Games under an SPC in a given season."

 

[BrockBesnar]

Burning the First Year of a Rookie’s Entry Level Contract
This article discusses it but maybe since Hughes turns 20 before year end so guess he doen's get this exemption.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

I don't think that's an issue. We're not gonna have a long list of guys worth protecting.

That;s 3 years from now, you never know

 

[UticaHockey]

Looks like Hughes would need to sign an ATO with the Comets and have his NHL contract start next season to be exempt from the Seattle draft.

 

[Melvin]

What does it even matter? He will be the only defender worth protecting anyhow.

 

[opendoor]

It's not really a question of "burning a year"; all contracts lose a year when a player plays in the NHL. It's more a question of slide eligibility. When an 18 or 19 year old signs and plays fewer than 10 games they can get a 4th (or even 5th) year put onto their 3 year ELC, so when they burn a year they still have 3 years left. Hughes however isn't eligible for a contract slide because he'll turn 20 before the end of the year he signs his ELC (2019 presumably). So if he signs at the end of the season

That said, I believe expansion relied on "professional experience" which only accrues after 10 games, so he'd need to hit that this season to be eligible. Though maybe not, based on what's posted above.

Regardless, the Canucks certainly aren't short on protection slots for defenseman.

 

[timw33]

We don't have nearly enough good players to worry about the expansion draft. Still hoping his team gets to the Frozen 4 so he can't burn an ELC year/we do have that extra expansion spot for flexibility (could end up being useful).

 

[Tryamkin]

Quinn would destroy in the AHL

 

[sting101]

What does it even matter? He will be the only defender worth protecting anyhow.

Does this mean you wont be one of the first first to complain about how poorly they managed the expansion draft?