Nick Wosika-Imagn Images
On Sunday, Quinn Hughes made his debut with the Wild after Minnesota landed the star defenseman in a blockbuster trade with the Canucks. However, the team had to scramble to make sure he had everything he needed to play after he somehow forgot to get his equipment out of his brother’s car before hopping on the plane that ferried him to his new home.
Quinn Hughes is the oldest of three brothers who are currently playing in the NHL. In 2018, the Canucks drafted him with the seventh overall pick, a year before the Devils used the first overall selection to scoop up Jack prior to getting Luke with the fourth one in 20201.
The d-man made his debut with Vancouver in 2019, and he quickly cemented himself as one of the most promising young talents in the NHL. He was named the captain of the Canucks ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, and he subsequently earned All-Star honors for the second time during a season where he also secured the James Norris Trophy (presented to the best all-around defenseman).
The Canucks also snapped a three-year postseason drought that year before being eliminated in the second round, but they failed to make the playoffs last season and look to be on track to end up on the outside looking in yet again when you consider they currently have a league-low 27 points.
Hughes was at the center of trade rumors that started to swirl before the current season got underway, and they gradually picked up speed before he was shipped off to the Wild last week in what is arguably the biggest trade the franchise has pulled off since its inception at the start of the millennium.
He scored a goal in his first game on Sunday, but some other people had to scramble to make sure he was able to play based on a fairly inexplicable oversight.
Quinn Hughes forgot his equipment in his brother’s car before heading to Minnesota after being traded to the Wild
On Friday, the Wild secured Hughes in a trade for defenseman Zeev Buium, center Marco Rossi, winger Liam Öhgren, and a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
The Canucks were in New Jersey ahead of Sunday’s game against the Devils when the transaction was announced, and Hughes apparently linked up with his brothers after flying down from Buffalo. His equipment ended up in Jack’s car at some point, and based on what Wild GM Bill Guerin had to say when Quinn made his debut against the Bruins on Sunday, he neglected to take it with him before flying out to Minnesota.
Guerin hopped into the team’s television broadcast booth at the start of the second period to shed some light on the trade. During his conversation with Anthony LaPanta and Ryan Carter, he revealed someone had to track down Hughes’ equipment before it was flown to Minnesota on Sunday morning and (thankfully) arrived in time for puck drop.
More specifically, Guerin said Quinn Hughes’ gear was put in Jack Hughes’ car.
“It was flown in this morning.”
“I was up at 5 am this morning hoping ‘that plane better be in the air. …
So i started making more meatballs.” https://t.co/zjIGjpg2tP— Ben Birnell (@BB_URSentinel) December 15, 2025
Hughes jokingly denied he forgot his gear when asked about the oversight after a game where he scored a goal in Minnesota’s 6-2 win, adding, “It was definitely on me, but I’m thankful I got some really good people in my corner that were able to make it work for me.”
At least it worked out in the end.