Quinn Hughes

At the age of 24 -- he'll turn 25 on Oct. 14 -- Hughes is already well-established as one of the top offensive defensemen of his generation, and he has the potential to be remembered as one of the best puck-moving blueliners of all time once everything is said and done. He set career highs in 2023-24 with 17 goals and 92 points across 82 regular-season contests, making it the third straight campaign in which he exceeded the 65-point mark and the fifth consecutive season with over 40 points. Dating back to 2021-22, Hughes has 32 goals and 236 points across 236 contests, a total which ranks below only Roman Josi (240 points) and Cale Makar (242) among defensemen over the last three years. Hughes doesn't do much in non-offensive categories -- he finished 2023-24 with 38 PIM, 29 hits and 55 blocks -- but he's a good bet to once again compete for the scoring title among defensemen in 2024-25.

Hughes is among the best power-play quarterbacks in the NHL, and he earned 34 of his career-high 76 points with the man advantage last season. Hughes also had a plus-15 rating on a team that had little to brag about defensively, so he's starting to be a realistic top-tier defenseman in the league. Hughes will be 24 years old for the majority of 2023-24, so there's still a couple of years of growth to be had. He'll likely flirt with a point-per-game pace this year while providing quality power-play minutes and not much else, though the offense is more than enough to make him a fantasy No. 1 blueliner.

Fantasy managers selecting Hughes early in their drafts are hoping for offensive production, mainly with the man advantage. Hughes provided that and then some a year ago, as his 68 points in 70 games, including 31 on the power play, marked a career high. Hughes finished tied for sixth in defenseman scoring with Pittsburgh's Kris Letang and Toronto's Morgan Rielly. As good as Hughes looked a year ago, it wouldn't be the least bit shocking to see him improve this coming season. Hughes is a legitimate No. 1 fantasy defender and a player well worth reaching for in drafts this fall. He will play the entirety of this upcoming season at age 23.

Hughes is undoubtedly one of the most gifted scorers among young NHL blueliners after putting up 41 points in 56 games during his second full season. One thing that will keep him out of the same echelon as Cale Makar, Adam Fox and Miro Heiskanen is Hughes' lack of refinement in his own zone, as evidenced by his minus-24 rating last year. While the Canucks have upgraded their roster, it's unclear if Hughes will be able to take the next step to become a solid all-around defender. He'll be an elite option in fantasy formats that focus on scoring and power-play output, but a lack of physical play could leave him in the "very good" tier in broader formats. The Florida native should settle in around 50-to-55 points with nearly half of that coming on the power play.

Hughes burst onto the scene with a studly 53 points in 68 games in 2019-20. He earned a nomination for the Calder Trophy, but lost out to Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar for Rookie of the Year honors. That's not to say Hughes wasn't worthy -- he ended the campaign tied for fourth among NHL blueliners in points. The future is bright for Hughes, who will almost certainly be an elite defenseman for years to come. He'll continue to feature heavily on the Canucks' power play while also earning more minutes overall in 2020-21. The 21-year-old isn't likely to add much physically, but the high-tier point production is enough to make him a top-10 fantasy defenseman, anyway.

Hughes got a tiny taste of NHL action at the end of last season after beginning it at the University of Michigan. Billed as a mobile, puck-moving defenseman, the 19-year-old recorded three assists in five games to finish off the 2018-19 campaign, and all signs point to him being part of the Canucks' 2019-20 plans. Assuming he breaks camp with the big club, he'll probably see a good chunk of power-play time. Already a must-own in dynasty formats, Hughes is entering the stage of his NHL career where he now carries serious upside in traditional fantasy formats, so keep him top-of-mind when draft day rolls around as he figures to be a key cog in Vancouver's back end for the foreseeable future.

Set to return to the University of Michigan for the 2018-19 season, Hughes will have value mainly in dynasty leagues and perhaps late in the season if the Canucks decide he's ready for the NHL right out of college. The 18-year-old defenseman dazzled at the World Junior Showcase, including a brilliant helper in overtime against Sweden. While slightly undersized at 5-foot-9, the slick skater makes up for it with his speed and stickhandling ability. While he may not have a huge role in the NHL this season, it shouldn't be too long before Hughes is a staple on the back end for the Canucks.