Quinn Hughes drops a hint about Canucks future that will make-or-break season

The Vancouver Canucks are entering a make-or-break stretch, and no player has made that point more than Quinn Hughes. The star defenseman has pointed out that his becoming a Vancouverite depends on whether the team can be competitive in the immediate few years.

Hughes has a contract with the Canucks until 2027, so he's not looking to jump ship right now. Yet, he's been very open about the Canucks having to show that they can go after the Stanley Cup to retain him for the long haul.

Quinn Hughes opens up about his concerns

In a Sportsnet's 32 Thoughts Podcast, Quinn Hughes unapologetically admitted another dismal campaign would test his loyalty. By all means, in the prior season, Hughes had appeared outstanding, worthy of a Norris Award, but the Canucks could not grasp hold of consistency, spilling out dramas and awful performances.

Hughes was frustrated that there was no winning culture supporting his efforts. It seems like a shout from the heavens: The team should not only barely squeeze in through the playoffs, but the team needs to compete with the best in the league.

Otherwise, he may consider moving on, possibly even to join his brothers Jack and Luke sometime soon.

What the Canucks must deliver to keep their star

There have been several attempts at changing the momentum thus far in Vancouver.

Adam Foote has been promoted to the key coaching post, the front office acquired the power forward Evander Kane, and respective contract extensions were handed out for Thatcher Demko, Brock Boeser, and Conor Garland. The more pressing question is still on the core players; that is, for Demko to start well in goal and for Elias Pettersson to find his elite scoring touch once more after he has had a career-worst season.

With teams such as Vegas, Edmonton, and Los Angeles seeming clear-cut playoff locks, the Canucks simply cannot afford to go into the tank again. Hughes best said it: winning brings happiness back into the room - and convincing him to stay will only come through winning.Also Read: Twitter explodes after Kirill Kaprizov reportedly rejects $128M extensionQuinn Hughes has set forth a note. His words foretell that the next two years will align not only with Vancouver's guide toward competitiveness but also to whether he even dons their colors any longer. Should the Canucks manage to finally rediscover their winning formula, Hughes might very well stay as the cornerstone of their future, but should mediocrity, in some form or other, continue to rear its ugly head, Vancouver could start thinking of a future without one of the NHL's brightest stars.