Canucks’ Quinn Hughes nowhere close to Avs’ Cale Makar in the best NHL defenseman debate, latest NHLPA player polls reveal

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes came a distant second to Colorado Avalanche superstar Cale Makar for best defenseman, according to an NHLPA poll.

The poll, published on April 15, showed the results of a player poll in which the NHLPA asked fellow NHLers to vote for the best defenseman in the league.

Makar obtained 71.78% of the votes with Quinn Hughes being the runner-up with 7.44%. Makar had a monster season, becoming just the ninth blue liner to score 30 goals in a season, while tallying 92 points in a season.

As for Quinn Hughes, his injury situation hampered his performance throughout the season. Still, that didn’t prevent Hughes from leading the Canucks in scoring. Hughes notched 16 goals and 76 points in 67 games for the Canucks this season.

All told, Hughes and Makar should be among the Norris Trophy finalists this season. However, it seems that the Avalanche top defender will have an edge over Hughes this season. It remains to be seen what voters decide in the final Norris Trophy tally.

Quinn Hughes notches 350th career assist

Quinn Hughes reached a significant career milestone on Monday, registering his 350th career assist. Hughes hit the plateau during the Canucks’ 2-1 overtime win over the San Jose Sharks. The Canucks captain assisted on Jake DeBrusk’s game-winner at the 4:42 mark of the extra frame.

Here’s a look at the historic point:

Hughes fed Brock Boeser for a one-timer that led to a rebound. DeBrusk potted the loose puck in the net to give the Canucks a gritty victory.

With the assists, Hughes joined a select group of players such as Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, and Nathan MacKinnon in registering 350 assists before the age of 26.

Earlier this season Hughes registered his 400th career point. His 409 total points tie him with Alex Edler for 14th on the team’s all-time scoring list.

But that’s not all, Hughes passed Edler as the all-time franchise leader in assists among defensemen. The American blue liner registered his 311th assist in December 2024.

Overall, it’s been a season filled with milestones for the 25-year-old Canucks captain. Unfortunately, the team was unable to reach the postseason. While the Canucks had a disappointing end to their season, there is hope that next season, the team can rebound and return to the playoffs.

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Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early ’90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can’t for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

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Edited by Nestor Quixtan