Marco Rossi’s reaction to the change for Quinn Hughes
A seismic shift hit the NHL late Friday night as Vancouver Canucks and the Minnesota Wild completed one of the most significant trades in league history.
In a franchise-altering move, Minnesota acquired Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Quinn Hughes, while Vancouver got a huge comeback for center Marco Rossi, along with winger Liam Ohgren, defenseman Zeev Bujum and a 2026 first-round pick.
Rossi, the centerpiece of Vancouver’s comeback, addressed the tumultuous moments after the deal with candor and perspective, as he ponders the sudden change.
“It was a crazy 30 minutes. That’s the job. That’s part of it,” Rossi said, via Michael Russo of The Athletic. “We all play hockey and we know it can happen. But I’m really happy with everything Minnesota has done for me. There’s been ups and downs for sure, but I’ve had a really good time in Minnesota.”
According to Atlético’s Russo, Rossi made sense of it a move could come. Russo noted that interest from Vancouver had been circulating, but a final call from Wilds general manager Bill Guerin still caught the young center off guard.
for the Canucks, the decision to move his captain signaled a clear turn towards rebuilding. Sitting at 11-17-3, Vancouver decided to cash in on Hughes’ top value despite the difficulty of trading the 26-year-old franchise defenseman.
Hughes left Vancouver with 23 points in 26 games this season and 432 points in 459 career games, giving Minnesota a transformative presence on the blue line.
On the other hand, Rossi is expected to step into the main role immediately. At just 24 years old, he projects to be Vancouver’s second center after scoring 24 goals and 36 assists last season. He has added four goals and 13 points in 17 games this year and has totaled 49 goals and 114 points in 202 career games since being drafted ninth overall in 2020.
for Vancouver, Rossi is the foundation as the Canucks begin to reshape their future, one that now centers on youth, assets and long-term growth after a bold, decisive decision.
2025-12-13 03:56:00
