The Minnesota Wild are embarking on an important summer but even if they add a No. 1 center, it may not mean much if they are unable to extend Quinn Hughes.
Hughes transformed the Wild into Stanley Cup contenders last season and now is in position to cash in as he enters his final year of his contract. While some may believe that Hughes may be eyeing other teams going into the summer, another breadcrumb from TSN’s Darren Dreger suggested he isn’t going anywhere.
“I have no reason to believe, given the relationship that he and his family have with [Wild general manager Bill Guerin], that he doesn’t have a strong appetite to stay in Minnesota.”
The Wild have another sign that Quinn Hughes isn’t going anywhere
If you piece together the clues, things are trending towards Hughes signing an extension with the Wild before next season. Hughes controlled his own destiny when it came to where he would be traded last December and even turned down an extension with the Detroit Red Wings before he was sent to Minnesota.
Upon his arrival, Hughes noted that he was impressed with how Guerin “sacked up,” sending Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium and their 2026 first-round pick to the Vancouver Canucks, to acquire him and the relationship grew from there as he and his brother, Jack starred on the United States Olympic team that Guerin also served as the general manager for.
Conversations likely happened between Guerin and Hughes’s parents Jim and Ellen in Milan. Then the Wild went on to have one of their best seasons in recent history, advancing past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2015. While the Wild were defeated by the Colorado Avalanche in the second round, Hughes was complimentary of the organization and left the possibility open for signing an extension.
“I really like it here. I would definitely be open to re-signing,” Hughes said via ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski. “We’ll see what Billy wants to do. We’re 36 hours removed [from elimination]. I’m not sure I’m ready to get into details, what they would look like.”
Guerin confirmed his interest during Monday’s end-of-season press conference and it looks like he’s ready to make Hughes as comfortable as possible, attempting to acquire Luke from the New Jersey Devils at one point last season according to The Athletic’s Michael Russo.
While some may believe that Hughes may prioritize meeting up with Luke and Jack in New Jersey. That may not be a possibility until later in the careers with Jack signed through the 2029-30 season and Luke signed through the 2031-32 season according to Puckpedia.
That could open the door for Hughes to sign a three-year extension to sync up with Jack’s contract and give Minnesota a four-year window with him anchoring the blue line next to Brock Faber. It also makes sense for the Wild to use Hughes’s long-term involvement as a franchise as a recruiting tool that could eventually land either (or both) of his brothers down the line.
There’s always a possibility that Hughes has a change of heart and demands a trade to the Devils. But for now, he doesn’t seem upset with his time in Minnesota and could make himself more than just a rental by signing on the dotted line when he’s eligible on July 1.
Add us as a preferred source on Google