Canucks star defenseman Quinn Hughes dropped a rather bold claim about his level of play before facing the Blues.

On Saturday night in Vancouver, the Canucks were somewhat soundly outplayed in the opening 20 minutes but managed to come out of the first period thanks to some misses at the goal mouth from Tom Wilson, Matt Roy and Lars Eller and thanks to one of the most absurd individual offensive efforts you’ll see all season from a blueliner.

Hughes is making a strong case to win his second straight award given to the best defenseman in the NHL. He leads the Canucks into Enterprise Center to face the St. Louis Blues on Monday (7:30 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, Prime) off a two-goal performance in a 2-1 win against the Washington Capitals at Rogers Arena on Saturday.

Quinn Hughes carried his team to a victory on Saturday night as the Vancouver Canucks took on the surging Washington Capitals, with the home team holding on to take the 2–1 win. Hughes scored twice for Vancouver,

Tuesday night's game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, is the first time these teams square off this season.

Overall, the heatmap was a positive one for the Canucks. While they did allow chances from close range, they were able to keep Washington out of high-danger areas for the majority of the night. In the end, Vancouver had a strong defensive performance at both ends of the ice on Saturday night.

Quinn Hughes scored twice and the Vancouver Canucks beat NHL-leading Washington 2-1 on Saturday night, keeping Capitals star Alex Ovechkin 20 goals shy of breaking Wayne Gretzky's league record. Hughes has five goals and two assists in a five-game points streak.

The Vancouver Canucks visit the St. Louis Blues after Quinn Hughes scored two goals in the Canucks' 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals.

Young fans will get the chance to experience hockey in a whole different way. On Thursday, the NHL announced a first-of-its-kind animated program, the NHL Hockeyverse Matchup of the Week.

A generation ago, it felt like the best hope a short guy had of thriving in the NHL was in the crease. Today, the dynamic has largely flipped. Ryan Dixon takes a look at each team's undersized players in this week's Power Rankings.

NHL HOCKEYVERSE Matchup of the Week will feature teenaged commentators appearing as animated avatars, calling the action in a fun, entertaining and casual tone. They’ll share insights, fun facts, and stories to take viewers deeper inside the NHL, making each episode a must-watch for fans of all ages.