I understand that the Vancouver Canucks are going to have to get Quinn Hughes signed a year earlier than they would have to if they waited until next fall to let him make his NHL debut. I understand there’s the worry of him requiring protection in the Seattle expansion draft, but to me, the player’s needs and development should be put first and foremost, and the fact of the matter is, these games go a long way for a player’s development.
Just ask Brock Boeser, who, like Hughes, made his Canucks and NHL debut after his team was eliminated from the NCAA playoffs.