Key Takeaways
- Quinn Hughes recorded his 500th NHL point in his 520th game as Minnesota beat Vancouver 4-2.
- Hughes became the seventh-fastest defenceman in NHL history to reach 500 points.
- Vancouver lost its 10th straight game, while Minnesota moved into first place in the Central Division.
The Villain's Homecoming
They booed him every single time he touched the puck. Then, for one brief first-period moment, they almost remembered why they used to cheer.
Quinn Hughes returned to Rogers Arena on Sunday, October 25, for the first time since the Vancouver Canucks traded him to the Minnesota Wild on December 12, 2025, in a blockbuster that brought back forwards Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren, defenceman Zeev Buium and a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The boos were loud and relentless — every touch, all night. A first-period video tribute drew a mix of cheers, but the farewell was never going to be warm.
"The passion with the fanbase is what makes it special to play here," Hughes said. "So for me, it was cool to be back here, and exciting. And I'm glad we got the win."
Point No. 500, Served Ice Cold
If the night was scripted for maximum sting, Hughes followed the script. Minnesota won 4-2, and the former Vancouver star was in the middle of everything.
Maxim Shabanov opened the scoring on the power play at 18:33 of the first, tucking in a cross-crease feed from Kirill Kaprizov. Bobby Brink doubled the lead at 5:54 of the second, finishing a breakaway feed from Michael McCarron. Then came the moment: on another power play at 12:55 of the second, Hughes fed Joel Eriksson Ek in the low slot, circled the net and buried the rebound for the 500th point of his career, in his 520th game — the seventh-fastest defenceman in NHL history to reach 500, and the second-fastest American defenceman ever, behind only Brian Leetch (496 games).
Early in the third, Hughes sprung Kaprizov alone, and Kaprizov finished for his NHL-leading 13th goal to make it 4-0. Hughes ended the night at 501 career points — 69 goals and 432 assists.
Ten Straight Losses and No Answers
Max Sasson scored on a breakaway at 6:24 of the third and Brock Boeser added a one-timer at 16:53 to make the score respectable. It couldn't disguise the free fall. Leevi Merilainen made 30 saves, but the Canucks (2-10-1) have now lost 10 straight (0-9-1), and after a promising first period they were outshot 29-7 over the final 40 minutes. Calvin Pickard needed just 15 saves for his first win with Minnesota.
"We're searching for answers," Canucks coach Manny Malhotra said. "It's concerning."
The Twikup Take
Vancouver traded Hughes to end an era — instead, they got a front-row seat to his prime. The boos were loud, but the loudest number in the building is 0-9-1. This roster isn't one trade away from fixed; it's a rebuild that hasn't admitted it yet, and Sunday its old captain showed exactly what walked out the door. Photo: Kiranomimus / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) — Quinn Hughes during warmups before his Minnesota Wild debut on December 14, 2025.