Canucks director of player development Ryan Johnson isn't worried about Hughes' (5-foot-10, 173 pounds) strength.
"I don't think he's as far off," Johnson said. "Obviously, we want him to get stronger, but the way he plays the game and the hockey sense he has, he is not a player we need to bulk up. There will be some things we will work on the defensive side of the game, but the kid is incredibly willing, he's motivated and he's a sponge to anything that we are going to throw at him."
Johnson saw Hughes a lot last season while watching University of Michigan teammate William Lockwood, who was selected by the Canucks in the third round (No. 64) in the 2016 NHL Draft. As the youngest player in NCAA, Hughes had 29 points (five goals, 24 assists) in 37 games, setting a school record for assists by a freshman defenseman as Michigan advanced to the Frozen Four.
"He changes the course of a game because he's got an elite, elite level of skating," Johnson said.
That skating also helps Hughes, who turns 19 on Oct. 14, overcome defensive concerns based on his size.
"It's something I have tried to work on because I know people try to pick at it," Hughes said.