It was news that felt inevitable. But on Saturday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman made it official.

During his Saturday Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada, Friedman reported that the New Jersey Devils have, in fact, called the Vancouver Canucks asking about the availability of Quinn Hughes.

“The Devils, they’re really looking to see what’s out there,” he said.

After mentioning that they’ve shown interest in Nashville Predators forwards Ryan O’Reilly and Steven Stamkos, he pivoted to his report about the Canucks, the Devils, and Hughes.

“Once Vancouver announced they were open for business, sent that email out around the league, I do believe there was a conversation, at least one, between the Devils and the Canucks about Quinn Hughes.”

“I stress, I do not believe there is anything imminent,” Friedman said. “I don’t even know that they’re anywhere far along.”

“But, I do believe that a conversation was had about where things stand and where they might be going.”

Friedman went on to mention that because of the Devils’ injury and salary cap situation, any player they attempt to bring in means they would have to send a player out with a similar cap hit.

Interestingly enough, all of the Hughes brothers have had their own frustrations this season. Canucks fans know all about what Hughes has endured.

Over in New Jersey, his brother Jack is expected to be out for another five to six weeks after a freak injury at a restaurant. Luke Hughes, meanwhile, has had some struggles in an elevated role, especially on the defensive side of the puck.

Despite the hiccups, all three are still upper-echelon players in the NHL.

Their star statuses, coupled with the Canucks historically bad start, is making the Hughes departure from Vancouver start to feel more like a when, not an if.

Canucks president Jim Rutherford poured gasoline on this storyline back in April. On Saturday, Friedman may have lit the match.

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