Things are looking up for Quinn Hughes.
After a tough loss brought an end to his NCAA playoffs with the University of Michigan, the 19-year-old defenceman from Orlando, Fla., inked his first professional contract - a three-year, entry-level deal with the Vancouver Canucks.
"I think it was an exciting day for us yesterday getting Quinn signed," Canucks general manager Jim Benning told media on Monday.
He's expected to arrive in Vancouver tomorrow to join his new teammates, but is not expected on the ice soon.
The blue-chip defensive prospect blocked a shot with his foot in a game Friday night and played very sparingly in his school's final game of the season.
Benning said Hughes will get a physical when he arrives, as well as making sure his ankle is healthy with a CAT scan. Once the doctors clear him to play, Hughes apparently has the green light from his general manager.
“He won’t play though until he’s 100 per cent healthy, so as soon as we get the word he’s 100 per cent and the swelling in his ankle goes down, then he’ll be in the line-up.”
Benning said the team won't rush Hughes onto the ice, as much as they want the young blue-liner to get some experience at the pro level.
"Going forward there's going to be an adjustment to getting in here and playing in the NHL, but if we can get him some games this year it makes the adjustment easier for him,” the general manager said.
“He knows what to expect coming into training camp next year and he hits the ground running, we think he's an important piece of our team."
Hughes won a silver medal with the United States at this year’s World Junior Hockey Championships.
