Given the hubbub, it would seem that when Jack Hughes speaks, people listen—especially in Vancouver. The star forward for the New Jersey Devils stirred up a hornet’s nest this week when he openly admitted he’d like to play with his brother Quinn someday.
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As Mike Halford noted below, brother Jack told reporters: “Honestly, I’m not afraid to say it. I’d love for Quinn to (a pause) eventually, I’d love to play with him. Whether that’s in New Jersey or wherever, at some point I want to play with Quinn.”
It was a small quote, a passing remark—but in a market like Vancouver, it detonated like dynamite.
Why It Landed So Loudly in Vancouver
Quinn Hughes isn’t just any player. He’s the captain of the Vancouver Canucks, the centrepiece of their blue line, and arguably the most important draft pick in franchise history since the Sedins. When his brother Jack suggests that a reunion might someday be in the cards, fans immediately think about what that means for Quinn’s long-term future in Vancouver.
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The reaction was immediate. Some Canucks fans heard it as harmless brotherly love. Others panicked: Was Jack trying to lure Quinn to New Jersey? On local radio, Halford and Brough joked that Hughes had “kicked the hornet’s nest.” Social media lit up with speculation about tampering, exit strategies, and whether Vancouver could ever realistically bring Jack—or even Luke Hughes—west instead.
Parsing Jack Hughes’ Words, Constructing His Personal Meaning
It’s worth noting how Jack phrased it. He caught himself mid-sentence when he started to say he’d love for Quinn to “play in New Jersey.” Instead, he pivoted: “I’d love to play with him… wherever that would be.” That little self-edit said a lot.
(Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports)
It showed awareness that fans (and media) would jump all over any direct mention of Quinn leaving Vancouver. It also showed that Jack wasn’t trying to hide anything. He does want to play with his brother. But, he wisely wasn’t going to pin it down to one city.
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