Though they didn’t land Hughes, the Devils still gained something from the saga coming to an end: clarity. New Jersey is injury-riddled and in need of reinforcements as it drops in the standings. Now, Fitzgerald does not have to worry about preserving potential cap space or trade chips for a Hughes package this season.

The New Jersey Devils were at the centerfold of the Quinn Hughes rumors, and until it came to a head, they struggled to tune it out. On Friday, the eldest Hughes brother was moved to the Minnesota Wild in a blockbuster trade.

The Canucks have traded two-time All-Star defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Wild in exchange for defenseman Zeev Buium, center Marco Rossi, leftwinger Liam Ohgren and a first-round pick.