from Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet,

It wasn’t the concept of leadership that spurred Quinn Hughes to assert himself within the Vancouver Canucks. It was the other L-word: losing.

"It wasn't even that I had to push myself,” Hughes explained Sunday of his evolution last season. “I'm just so sick of losing that if this is what we have to do or this is what I have to do. . . that's easy compared to losing and the toll of the season. Looking at the schedule (last season) and we have, like, 30 games left but we're out of the playoffs, that's really hard. I would say anything is easier than having that toll on you. So if I need to speak up or do whatever, that's easy.”

He needs to speak up. Hughes said he needs to step up, too.

Four years ago, in the first game of his rookie season in the National Hockey League, a 19-year-old Hughes was sent out with defence partner Chris Tanev, Hughes’ Obi-Wan Kenobi, for the season-opening faceoff in Edmonton against Connor McDavid.

Seeing who they were matched against, Hughes asked Tanev before the draw if they would stay out for the shift or quick-change. Tanev told them they were staying. Hughes said, “OK, let’s go.”

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