Seeing some comparisons again of Hughes vs Makar, who's having a terrific season.
No doubt, Hughes had a challenging sophomore season without his best D partner and mentor (Tanev). The whole team had a challenging year. Yet he still managed to score points, finishing 11th amongst all NHL defensemen. Didn't he also have the most ice time among Canuck D?
I wonder sometimes if we forget why we drafted him, and were thrilled to get him at #7. In his rookie and sophomore years, he became our PP quarterback because he earned it. He can improve his defensive game in the years to come, but his gifts are on offense. Bottom line, especially after his performance in the bubble last summer, I just want to give credit to Hughes and what he means for our future.