NHLTR Mock Trade: Capitals trade Ryan Leonard in package for Canucks' Quinn Hughes

The NHL trade rumor mill is spinning like crazy these days, and most of the talk is around Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes. Hughes is going to be traded at some point this season, as there's no turning back for how bad it is currently in Vancouver.

While there's been plenty of insiders reporting the New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, and Pittsburgh Penguins are the frontrunners, the Washington Capitals have begun to creep up the list of potential destinations.

NHLTR Mock Trade: Canucks trade Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood to the Capitals for Ryan Leonard, Cole Hutson, Connor McMichael, and a 2026 first-round pick.

McMichael and Leonard step immediately into the top-nine for the Canucks, and gives management two NHLers they are searching for in a deal for Hughes, meanwhile Vancouver then has Hutson on the way next season. The mobile defenseman would immediately jump into their top-four, and plays a very similar style to Hughes, and has the potential to scratch the same kind of surface. Yes, some form of salary rentention would be in play here. The Canucks would also receive a first-rounder, which is something they 100% are asking for in any trade.

The Caps get their man in Hughes, and he'd quickly form one of the best duos with John Carlson on the back end. Sherwood can replace the same type of role Leonard was playing and is likely someone they extend at the end of the season.

"They are trying to maximize their window to win while Ovechkin is still on the team"@JeffMarek and @wyshynski weigh @RachelKryshak's idea of Washington stepping in as a trade partner for Vancouver to maximize the final two years of Quinn Hughes’ contract#ALLCAPS https://t.co/cMmAyid0pi pic.twitter.com/K2Hs78QhwP
— The Sheet with Jeff Marek (@thesheethockey) December 10, 2025