In December, the Vancouver Canucks traded captain Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild. But according to a new report, that deal only happened after an initial trade to send Quinn Hughes to the Detroit Red Wings fell through.

Per longtime Detroit sports beat writer Keith Gave on X, the Canucks and Red Wings had come to an agreement that would have seen Hughes head to Detroit. Gave reports it was a “done deal,” but only on the condition that Hughes agreed to signing a long-term extension in Detroit, which Hughes allegedly declined to do when he spoke directly with Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman. At that point, the deal was off, which led to Hughes’ move to Saint Paul.

In follow-up posts, Gave confirmed his information came from a source “within the (Red Wings) organization.” Hughes wouldn’t have been eligible to extend with Detroit until this summer, but with permission from the Canucks organization, he was able to discuss contracts with the Red Wings. Gave reports the contract at play was “seven figures long term,” and would have made him the “highest paid” Red Wing “by a fair margin.”

Hughes played college hockey at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, just one hour outside Detroit. Gave did not report what Vancouver would have gotten from Detroit in the allegedly completed deal, though he said it was an “astronomical package.” He also could not confirm why Hughes wasn’t interested in signing long-term with the Red Wings, but speculated it has to do with his interest in hitting free agency at the end of his contract, reporting that he believes Hughes wants to join his brothers on the New Jersey Devils.

From the Wild, the Canucks received forwards Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren, defencemen Zeev Buium, and Minnesota’s 2026 first-round pick. All three skaters they picked up are former first-round picks. Hughes is currently wrapping up the second-last year of his six-year deal originally signed with the Canucks, and is eligible to sign an extension with the Wild beginning on July 1st. If he opts to instead hit free agency, he will have to wait until July 1st, 2027 to become a UFA.