Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes named NHL Player of the Month

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes of Orlando, Florida was named the National Hockey League First Star of the Month on Wednesday. In nine games, Hughes had three goals and eight assists for 11 points and was a NHL high +11. He also had two penalty minutes, four power-play points, one game-winning goal, 31 shots on goal, seven blocked shots, two hits, five takeaways, and five giveaways.

Game-Winning Goal

Hughes scored his game winner on October 27 in a 5-0 Canucks win over the St. Louis Blues. He scored at 7:59 of the first period from Filip Hronek of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. It was one of two goals Hughes scored in the game as he also put the Canucks up 2-0 on a goal from Brock Boeser of Burnsville, Minnesota and J.T. Miller of East Palestine, Ohio. It was a unique goal for the Canucks, as three Americans were involved in the Vancouver goal.

Two three point games

Twice Hughes had three point games for the Canucks. He first had three assists for three points in an 8-1 Canucks win over the Edmonton Oilers on October 11, and then three assists in a 5-2 Canucks win over the Nashville Predators on Halloween.

Last defenseman honoured for Player of the Month

It has been a while since the last defenseman received NHL Player of the Month honours. The last player in fact was Nashville Predators blueliner Roman Josi of Bern, Switzerland in March of 2022. In 14 games, Josi had a remarkable 28 points (four goals and 24 assists). It was the third most number of points by a defenseman in a single month. Only Bobby Orr of Parry Sound, Ontario (31 points with the Boston Bruins in March of 1971), and Paul Coffey of Weston, Ontario (29 points with the Edmonton Oilers in December of 1985) had more.

Canucks Red Hot

Vancouver has a record of six wins, two losses and one tie for 13 points so far this season. That is good enough for second place in the Pacific Division.