Quinn Hughes weighs in on Jack's comments: 'What's he supposed to say?'
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Quinn Hughes reiterated Wednesday that he's happy as a member of the Vancouver Canucks but he has no problem with his brother Jack Hughes stating they would like to unite one team together in the future.
Jack, who plays with the youngest Hughes brother, Luke, with the New Jersey Devils, expressed his hope to one day see all three on the same team on Tuesday.
"I mean, he's my brother. What's he supposed to say, first of all? 'Like, I don't want to play with him,' you know?" Hughes said, per TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun. "...I mean, we have contracts and whatnot. He's on a different team. Would it be fun to play with those guys at some point? Of course. I think if you guys have brothers, you guys would say the same thing. But we do have contracts.
"I'm excited to be in Vancouver, and I feel like last year was a little bit of failure. So I feel like I got things to do there. And I know Jack loves, he loves Jersey, and he's got stuff to do also.”
Quinn, who is captain of the Canucks, has two years remaining on his current six-year deal. The 25-year-old blueliner, who was named Canucks' captain two years ago, took home the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenceman in 2024 and is already tied with Alexander Edler for the most points by a defenceman in franchise history with 409 (Edler played in 925 games, Hughes 433).
After the Canucks made it to the second round of the playoffs in 2023-24, the team took a step back last season, finishing fifth in Pacific Division and missed the postseason for the fourth time in the past five seasons.
Jack, who was selected first overall by the Devils in 2019 and is entering the third season of an eight-year, $64 million contract, spoke candidly about the idea of playing with Quinn Tuesday.
"Honestly, I'm not afraid to say it. Yeah, I would love for Quinn to -- eventually I'd love to play with him," Jack told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun on Tuesday. "And whether that's in New Jersey or at what time that takes, at some point I want to play with Quinn. But yeah, that's the question going around.
"They talk all day about it up in Vancouver, you know? But yeah I'd love to play with Quinn at some point."
The idea of the brothers wanting to unite is hardly new. In April, Canucks president Jim Rutherford floated the idea of getting Jack and Luke to Vancouver in order to keep his franchise defenceman.
"It may not boil down to money with [Quinn]. He said before he wants to play with his brothers," Rutherford told reporters. "And that would be partly out of our control. In our control [is] if we brought his brothers here.
"This franchise cannot afford to lose a guy like Quinn Hughes and we will do everything we can to keep him here."
Internationally, Quinn and Jack played together for the United States at the 2019 World Junior Championships where they helped the Americans earn silver. Both were named to the 4 Nations Face-Off roster earlier this year but Quinn did not suit up because of injury.
Quinn was one of the first six players named to Team USA in June for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy while Jack and Luke also attended the U.S. Olympic orientation camp.