It has been widely covered of late that 2018 1st round (7th Overall) pick, Quinn Hughes, has elected to return to the University of Michigan for the upcoming season. A move that has been lauded as wise and fear inspiring depending on whether your fandom includes optimism towards the bright future the Canucks have been cultivating or if it includes the sky constantly falling upon Vancouver. In either case, one must appreciate that this is a fantastic move for multiple in the organization, including the organization itself. Today, we cover who wins.

Winners:

Quinn Hughes. As much as he wants to be in the NHL and dress for the Canucks. He wants to make an impact when he does. Elite talents like Hughes don’t just focus on making the NHL. They know that will happen. They focus on leaving impacts and legacies. This is great news as a Canucks fan. He will get the opportunity to play for Team USA in the WJC and play to win a NCAA title and potentially a Hobey Baker Award. He will be arguably the best player in NCAA next year. This will give him more time to develop both on ice and in the gym.

Canucks. Of course they wanted him to play this season with them. He can skate at an NHL level and has the skillset to go along with it. They win long-term though. They will get a more mature and NHL ready player in a year, or possibly even for the end of the season like Boeser and Gaudette before him, depending on how his season goes.

Francesco Aquilini and Jim Benning. The salivating that has occured over prospects like Elias Pettersson have been unlike any since Henrik and Daniel Sedin. Fans have been teased and stoked to finally watch Pettersson dazzle in Canucks colours like he had all last season in Sweden. Aquilini and Benning get to do the same now with Hughes. Except in this case, they can have a fanbase that watches him a little more with showcases in Vancouver and Victoria for the WJC. Get your napkins ready.

Fans. Yes, the fans win too. The anticipation of knowing a great player is coming, builds excitement among a fanbase and it allows Quinn to be more prepared to meet those expectations. Fans have been enjoying the developments of Horvat, Boeser and soon Pettersson and others. Don’t fret, enjoy the ride. Rewards will follow.

Olli Juolevi. With all of the Canucks defensemen returning (thus far) from last season, it gives Juolevi a better opportunity to crack the full time lineup without a talent like Hughes leapfrogging him for the position. Now he just needs to outplay one of the returning members of a subpar 2017/18 Canucks d-core.

-Sean Warren