Skidding Canucks begin new era with encounter vs. Devils

The Vancouver Canucks will play their first game since trading captain Quinn Hughes when they face the New Jersey Devils on Sunday afternoon in Newark, N.J.

The long-expected trade of Hughes came Friday night when the Canucks sent the former Norris Trophy recipient to the Minnesota Wild for forwards Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren, defenseman Zeev Buium, and an unprotected 2026 first-round pick.

"It's definitely not an easy day for the franchise here," Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said. "Quinn Hughes has been a big part of the organization and a great person and great hockey player. It's a tough, tough, tough day, but we're also excited about the return of the players we got."

In Rossi, Vancouver added a second-line center a year removed from setting career highs across the board offensively, with 24 goals and 36 assists for 60 points in 82 games last season. Injuries have limited him to 17 games this season (13 points on four goals and nine assists).

Buium, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, had played all 31 games for the team in his first full NHL campaign. The 20-year-old has 14 points (three goals, 11 assists).

Ohgren, the No. 19 overall pick in the 2022 draft, had a strong first full season with the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League in 2024-25, recording 19 goals and 37 points in 41 games. He hasn't had the same success at the NHL level, as he has been held without a point in 18 games this season after putting up five points (two goals, three assists) in 24 games in 2024-25.

The Canucks will try to snap a skid that's landed them in last place in the league. They lost their second game in a row and their ninth contest in their past 11 games (2-8-1) with a 3-2 setback to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, a matchup in which Vancouver finished with a 32-15 shots advantage.

"We just try to focus on the process, and eventually the things will go in," Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood said Thursday. "We obviously deserve (Thursday) but continue to fight for each other and build towards our identity."

The Devils enter Sunday looking to build off a 4-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday afternoon. The triumph gave New Jersey its second win in its past three games after a five-game losing streak and snapped a streak of five home losses.

"Tremendous team effort right from the start of the game all the way through," coach Sheldon Keefe said. "We had great effort. With great effort you get better structure; with better structure you're taking care of each other out there. It's an easier game for everybody involved."

An already lengthy injury list got even longer ahead of Saturday's outing.

Forward Arseny Gritsyuk, who has enjoyed a solid rookie season, was ruled out for both weekend games with an upper-body ailment he tried to play through on Thursday.

Keefe also said Saturday that defenseman Simon Nemec will "miss some time" with an undisclosed injury.

"It's a clear understanding and embracing that it's hard. Just take care of yourself and do it again," Keefe said. "Pull together as a team. ... When they do that, the structure that the coaches are talking about all comes together. In the NHL, that gives you a chance to win."

--Field Level Media