Quinn Hughes and Ryan Dilks: Vancouver’s Defensive Pillars Set the Standard for Excellence

The Vancouver Canucks and the Vancouver Warriors have more in common than just sharing an arena. They boast two generational defensive talents in their respective sports: Quinn Hughes, the NHL’s Norris Trophy-winning defenceman, and Ryan Dilks, the National Lacrosse League’s Defensive Player of the Year.

History was made for both clubs last season; Hughes was the first Canuck to win the Norris and Dilks was the first Warrior to win Defensive Player of the Year.

Having one legendary defenceman in an organization is special, but having two is like striking gold twice.

What makes these defencemen so exceptional is their mindset and approach to the game. They represent the pinnacle of their positions, both defend with intelligence, have exceptional footwork, consistently take on the toughest matchups in their leagues, are great leaders, and play every game like it’s their last.

Recently, Hughes moved into second place on the Canucks all-time assists by a defenceman with 292. The 2023-2024 NHL season cemented his place in the history books. He is now one of only three defencemen in NHL history to have at least nine games with three or more assists in a single season, joining legends Bobby Orr and Ray Bourque. Last season, Hughes led all defencemen with 92 points (17-75-92), his assists tying him with Henrik Sedin for second-most in franchise history.

Canucks’ Head Coach Rick Tocchet talks about Hughes using his speed, puck handling, and hockey sense to redefine how we think about defensive play.

“There's different ways to defend, the stereotypical big defenceman like back in the day, [Zdeno] Chara, Drew Doughty, those type of guys, they defend a little bit different in the corners, where Hughes uses his mind and his speed and his puck handling, and that's another way of defending,” said Tocchet. “He's good with his feet, one-on-one, and he's also got the puck on his stick, so if you're not in your end very often because of Hughes and the way he plays, that's a good defender to me.”

The 25-year-old blue liner chalks up his ability to read and react quickly to his experience of five full NHL seasons under his belt. Hughes is known to be a student of the game and when he’s watching other players, he looks to see what they do that makes them successful and learns their tendencies which helps him anticipate the play.

Hughes is a competitor, and his approach to his role as a defenceman is to do whatever is necessary to keep the puck out of the Canucks’ end.

“All that matters is not getting scored on, I wasn't scored on a lot last year and that's a team thing as well. I have a great partner and we have great goalies,” Hughes said.

“What makes me good is attacking and my mindset. I’m trying to attack each game, make plays, get shots on net, and be aggressive.”

Having a talent like Hughes gives the coaching staff more creative freedom on both ends of the ice for their defensive coverage to offensive opportunities. The 5-foot-10 defenceman jumps up the ice quickly, forcing opposing teams to be on their heels more than their toes.

In the Canucks’ first game of the season against the Flames, Hughes had a block that led to a goal.

He also leads by example and makes his teammates better, practicing with the same intensity and precision that he displays in games.

“Game in, game out, this guy is going to give you a top-notch play, and when you have a guy like that, even the way he practices hard, it elevates the other defenceman. It's just a trickle-down effect when you have a guy like Hughes, it almost develops everybody quicker,” Tocchet said.

With a wealth of defensive expertise in hockey and lacrosse, Canucks’ Assistant Coach Adam Foote draws on his 19-year NHL career and his time playing Junior A box lacrosse in Ontario to look at similarities of the mindset of great defencemen.

Defensive strategy for both sports is the same, making sure you keep a close eye on the opponents' biggest scoring threats throughout the game and take away scoring opportunities. Forcing the offence where you want it to go to best recover the ball or puck is the goal and Foote says the process of reading the offence and reacting is the same for both sports.

“I think the best defenders in lacrosse are deceptive. It's just like in hockey, they could see a fast break or odd man rush happening, the defender can take one guy outside, but then they'll back off and jump back middle, which puts the outside guy a pause, and then it allows the defenders or back checkers to get back into play,” Foote said.

As for Dilks, he’s been a revelation for the Warriors, setting a franchise record of 46 forced turnovers last season while scooping up 102 loose balls, blocking 14 shots and adding six points (1-5-6). Dilks is second all-time in NLL history with 308 forced turnovers in his 12-year career. It’s the second time the Hamilton, Ontario native won NLL Defenceman of the year, his first time was in 2015-2016 with the Saskatchewan Rush.

Dilks’ ability to read the game at a lightning pace and dictate defensive play is what makes him stand out. Defence is a reactionary position, but Warriors General Manager and Head Coach Curt Malawsky praised Dilks’ anticipation as top tier.

“Things slow down for him, he sees the game at a different speed and he’s able to be there before it happens,” Malawsky said. “He’s almost there before the offensive guy a lot of the time, which I think separates him as very unique.”

To dictate the offence, Dilks’ preparation for games is rigorous, which includes a lot of studying film leading up to games. Having been in the league for over a decade there's also familiarity, the 33-year-old knows players' tendencies which helps him anticipate. As everyone continues to grow their game and new players enter the league each year, he makes adjustments in his game accordingly.

“Defence is tough if you make it tough: it’s as hard as you want it to be. As long as you’re really communicating with your teammates, you’re staying in shape, good things will happen,” Dilks said. “If you have a good goalie back there like [Aden] Walshy who can bail you out sometimes that’s important too, it’s such a team effort.”

“I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without guys talking to me, communicating with me [on the floor], letting me know where the other guy’s coming from and where the picks are coming from, so it’s definitely a five-man game that I rely on a lot.”

Malawsky also emphasized his defender’s ability to cover both sides of the floor to neutralize opponents. Dilks is a natural right-handed defenceman who can play on his natural side and his off-side and be equally as effective, which is a skill that few can master.

He has the ability to handle pressure on the floor, helping the group deal with runs, staying calm and sticking to their systems. A veteran in the league, he also takes younger players under his wing, and teaches them positioning, footwork and what works for him in certain situations on the floor.

“He’s another coach on the floor, there’s no question there, and he’s a great voice in the dressing room because he understands the game at a high level,” Malawsky said.

Maintaining that level of performance year-over-year is what Dilks aspires to every season. In his earlier NLL years, he admits he learned a lot by trial and error and from the older players around him and figured out how to play to his strengths.

Coming to a new team with the Warriors last season, after spending a decade with the Saskatchewan (and Edmonton) Rush, he didn’t miss a beat and credits the organization helping him play at an elite level.

“They gave me a lot of confidence and tried to let me do my thing and encouraged me to play my game. Even just the support they give to my family – making sure everyone’s happy at home – makes me happy and creates a better headspace for me to be able to play and be at the top of my game.”

Anticipation is something both Hughes and Dilks are praised highly for. Their ability to read the play has allowed them to dominate their respective leagues, making them invaluable assets to their teams.

Both Hughes and Dilks are world-class defenders, anchoring their teams and elevating those around them. Their intelligence, skill and leadership have set them apart as two of the best, not just in Vancouver, but across the leagues they represent.

To see these defencemen continue to push the envelope and make history at Rogers Arena, Warriors tickets can be purchased here and Canucks tickets can be found here.