Without a doubt, Quinn Hughes has been the Vancouver Canucks’ best player to open the 2024-25 NHL season.

While his point totals aren’t necessarily at the same level as they were to open last season at “just” a point per game so far, the Canucks have given up basically nothing when their captain is on the ice this season.

Just like he did last season en route to winning the first Norris Trophy in franchise history, Hughes has led by example every night this season. The “Inside the NHL” documentary episode that released earlier this month gave us an inside look at how seriously Hughes takes being a leader and a captain. And in that role, head coach Rick Tocchet sees some similarities to another captain he’s coached: Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“I think Hughes is the type of kid who’s chasing perfection,” Tocchet said following the Canucks’ win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night. “I don’t think he ever sits back. He’s thinking like, ‘okay teams are going to game plan, so what do I do if they do this?’ Like, that’s how he thinks. We actually talk about that. If a team’s going to be high on him, what’s the next play? That’s why he’s chasing perfection, and he’s always looking to get better.”

“They’re never satisfied,” Tocchet said when asked if Hughes reminds him of any of the great players he’s played with or coached over his many years in the NHL. “The most recent guy is Sidney Crosby. He changes his workouts, changes his patterns, and changes his what he does at practice. He’s just chasing perfection and Hughes is the same type of guy, they have that mindset.”

It’s high praise, and it’s certainly not unwarranted for a player who, although naturally a bit quiet, has brought the Canucks to a new level of excellence since being named captain ahead of last season. Hughes somehow looks even better this year than he did during his Norris Trophy-winning season in 23-24, and in particular, the pairing of he and Filip Hronek has been lights out to begin the new campaign.

“Obviously they get the puck out of our end really quickly,” Tocchet said. “Usually we can get something off the rush, so I think that’s what they’re doing really well. And possession time. Obviously when they’re on the ice and we have the puck in the OZP, they’re hemming teams in there a little bit. And we’ve been on the other side of it, you know? When you’re on the ice and you’re defending all the time, you’re changing, so you can’t get a sustained forecheck, and that’s what they’re doing when they’re on the ice. They’re maintaining the puck, making the other team defend, and that’s a good thing.”

Hughes and the Canucks welcome Sidney Crosby and the Penguins to Rogers Arena this Saturday in the Canucks’ first black skate night of the season.