The Minnesota Wild made a seismic move when they acquired Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks last December. But for the three players that were sent to Vancouver, it was a moment that flipped their careers upside down.
Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium and Liam Ohgren were part of the package that was used to bring Hughes to Minnesota in the blockbuster trade. While all three showed promise, they were part of a Canucks team that finished last in the NHL with 58 points last season and saw head coach Adam Foote fired after one season on Tuesday.
With former general manager Patrik Alvin getting his pink slip in April, it would be understandable if the former Wild trio felt like it was on thin ice. But instead, Foote’s departure may be the best thing that could have happened and Rossi Buium and Ohgren could get the type of opportunity they weren’t getting in Minnesota.
Former Wild trio could thrive after Canucks fire Adam Foote
Rossi, Buium and Ohgren were all former first-round picks under Bill Guerin. But while there was an argument to let them play and take their lumps in the NHL, Guerin chose to rely on his veterans in an attempt to build a competitive team.
For Rossi, that meant a fourth-line demotion during the Wild’s 2025 playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights. Even after signing a three-year, $15 million extension last summer, it felt like it was a matter of time before he would be traded and it eventually happened when Hughes was brought to town.
Like the rest of the Canucks, Rossi’s 2025-26 season didn’t go smoothly as he battled a midfoot fracture. But he finished with eight goals and 22 points while serving in the top-six role he never could secure in Minnesota.
The 12th overall pick in the 2024 draft, Buium starred at Denver and joined the Wild for their 2025 playoff run. But while he started the season with the Wild, Minnesota took the chance to acquire a superstar in Hughes, leaving Buium to figure it out in Vancouver.
With six goals and 26 points total and three points with 12 points in 45 games for the Canucks, Buium also showed potential and has plenty of room to grow as he doesn’t turn 21 until next December.
Then there is Ohgren. Many thought Ohgren could break out and become a middle-six forward for the Wild this year but he couldn’t beat out Marcus Johansson in training camp and didn’t record a point in 18 games with Minnesota before being traded. Getting consistent playing time in Vancouver, Ohgren had eight goals and 18 points in 51 games and could grow into his role as he enters his age-23 season.
“Each and every night, Ohgren was one of the most exciting players to watch in the Canucks lineup,” Jacob Fraser of Canucks Army wrote. “He worked hard, he played fast, and displayed his skill. The flashes he showed are very promising for his future in Vancouver.”
As expected when the deal was made, all three players look like future cornerstones for the Canucks. But it also saw challenges as Foote relied on veterans and a defensive system that allowed a league-high 314 goals.
“It was a challenging year on several fronts and truthfully, Adam and his staff were dealt a very difficult hand,” Johnson said in a statement. “That said, as we head into a rebuild, our group feels new coaching voices are needed to chart the path forward. Establishing the proper environment and culture is a vital first step in creating a solid and authentic connection throughout the entire offseason.”
Those comments make it feel like the former Wild players will get the chances in Vancouver that they didn’t receive in Minnesota. While the Wild wouldn’t blink if they had a chance to trade for Hughes again (and potentially sign him to an extension this summer), Foote’s firing is another opportunity they could take advantage of and show the promise that fans had touted before the blockbuster trade.
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