The 23 year old defenceman has been a staple since breaking onto the team in 2018. In his 5th season with the Canucks Hughes put up a career high in games played, assists and points. Hughes played in 78 games for the Canucks, scoring 7 goals and adding 69 assists for a total of 76 points. Hughes accumulated 34 penalty minutes and was a +15 on the season.
Hughes will now have to step up to the responsibilities of being a team captain, especially in a hockey-crazed Canadian Market like Vancouver. As the team looks to exit a rebuilding era and begin to compete for the playoffs, handing the reigns to a young player like Hughes indicates the Canucks are looking to take that next step as a franchise.