Hughes spent time during the offseason skating three days a week at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan.
The group included his younger brothers, New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, the No. 1 pick of the 2019 NHL Draft, and Devils defenseman prospect
Luke Hughes
, the No. 4 pick of the 2021 NHL Draft who will play at the University of Michigan this season.
It also included Seattle Kraken forward Matty Beniers, Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor, Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski and Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras.
"It's a hard skate," Hughes said. "It's competitive. Guys are pushing themselves, and it is very specific, too, to what you want to work on."
What specifically will help Hughes score more this season, especially knowing that the Canucks might move him to the right side as a left-handed shot?
"I was fortunate to watch Quinn this summer a lot," Werenski said. "He's really good at what he does. His skating, his escape moves, his cutbacks. He's always creating things for other people. For me, I'm more of a shooter. I don't really create as much as he does, so to be able to watch him and learn from him this summer was awesome.
"I think the thing we worked on the most was attacking in the offensive zone, attacking downhill, taking the ice that the forward gives you, not just shooting it from the blue line and not just standing there. If it goes up to your [defense] partner, D to D, attack downhill. If you don't like it, cut back. Do something creative."
Werenski used Makar as an example.
Makar had 86 points (28 goals, 77 assists) in 77 games last season. He led NHL defensemen in goals, was second to Josi (96) among defensemen in points and won the Norris. He led the Stanley Cup champion Avalanche with 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) in 20 games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the postseason.
"I feel like when you watch a guy like Cale Makar, every shift he's making a difference," Werenski said. "It's not just one or two shifts a game. Every shift you see him out there, you see him doing something. He's pushing the play. He's attacking. He's got that attack mentality.
"And I think that's something we talked about, me and Quinn, this summer, is making sure we have that every shift, and that's something we were working on."
Jack Hughes expects big things from his big brother.
"I think [Quinn is] going to score more goals this year, that's for sure," Jack said. "I know he's focused on his shot a lot. He has a good shot, but I think he's focused on using it. I mean, he's been a League leader in assists for defensemen every year he's been in [the NHL], but I think it's time where he kind of understands he can score too and beat goalies.
"He's a guy that knows how to put up points, and I think 68 is a franchise record that will be broken this year and the following year and so on. I think his game's only going to continue to get better."
