from Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province,

Some mini-musings after a successful weekend for the Canucks:

The Calder Trophy race is far from decided but, from a Vancouver perspective at least, Quinn Hughes has pulled slightly ahead of Colorado’s Cale Makar.

Hughes now leads all rookie scorers with 39 points, two ahead of Makar; their fancy statistics are comparable and Hughes averages 53 seconds more ice time per game.

But the comparison comes down to something more elemental. Hughes is more important to the Canucks than Makar is to the Colorado Avalanche. He gives them a power play. He gives them an NHL-calibre blue-line. He’s been a driving force on the NHL’s most improved team.

Makar is a dazzling talent but the Avs would still be pretty good without him. Don’t see the Canucks in first place in their division without Hughes.

read on for more on the Canucks...