The Minnesota Wild took on the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night. This was a notable contest, as it marked the first time that Quinn Hughes played in Vancouver as a visiting player. Many were wondering how the crowd would react to the returning defenseman.
The reaction on the night was mixed. There were certainly some boos when the Canucks played a tribute video for Hughes on Sunday. However, there were also some clear cheers. Hughes reacted to the moment following the contest.
“I was just proud,” said Hughes, via NHL.com. “And obviously I was here for six-and-a-half years, tried my best. And got some cheers there. That was cool for me.”
Concerns about Hughes's reception stem from other incidents across the NHL. Most notably, Ottawa Senators fans trolled Brady Tkachuk when he returned to the Canadian capital with the Florida Panthers. Philadelphia Flyers fans also gave Cutter Gauthier a hard time when he returned to the city.
This is not to say there weren't some jabs thrown by Cancuks fans, though. Vancouver fans chanted “he's not signing” at Hughes and the Wild in this contest. This chant refers to Hughes's contract situation. He is set to be a free agent next summer.
Article Continues BelowIn the end, Hughes did his thing to help the Wild win. He scored a goal on the power play in the second period to help in the effort. It was his 500th career point, as well. He is the second-fastest American defenseman to reach this milestone.
The Wild are in action again on Tuesday night when they travel to face the Utah Mammoth.

