Nearly a month into the offseason, the Minnesota Wild have several things remaining on their off-season to-do list. While finding a new top-line center is important, it pales in comparison to negotiating a contract extension with defenseman Quinn Hughes as he enters the final year of his contract.
Most of the news around Hughes has been speculation as the Wild and Hughes’s agent Pat Brisson have dealt with other issues. But there could be progress this week as The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports that general manager Bill Guerin will meet with Hughes’s camp this week in Michigan and the hangup could revolve around contract length.
Russo reports that the Wild want to go somewhere between five-to-eight years while Hughes’s camp prefers a three-year deal to sync up with his brother Jack, whose contract with the New Jersey Devils expires after the 2029-30 season. While both sides make sense, the Wild would be wise to push for as long as possible to extend their championship window and perhaps put the ball in their court (or in this case, puck in the rink) when it comes to the Hughes family drama.
Wild’s Quinn Hughes negotiations could turn family drama back in their favor
At this point in the negotiations, it’s become clear that Quinn Hughes would like to play with Jack Hughes as soon as possible. The Wild have yet to sit down with Quinn regarding an extension before this week’s meeting and with Quinn requesting a three-year contract, the Wild reportedly called the Devils about Jack’s availability this summer according to Russo.
That call could have resulted in a hearty laugh and a hang-up from Devils GM Sunny Mehta and it could be the driver of a three-year deal that lets the Hughes Brothers decide where they want to play next. While Luke Hughes is in New Jersey, it’s likely that Jack would want to follow Quinn wherever he goes, as the better player between the two and one that is in a better situation.
With all due respect to Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, few players that have put on a Wild uniform have commanded the attention that Quinn Hughes has after coming over in a blockbuster trade with the Vancouver Canucks last December.
In addition, Hughes plays in front of an extremely loyal fan base that averaged 18,023 fans per night according to Statista. While that number ranked 13th in the NHL, it was well over the Devils, who had the NHL’s fourth-lowest attendance at 16,145 fans per game last season.
With the added ability to offer Hughes up to an eight year contract under the collective bargaining agreement compared to a six-year deal if he signs somewhere else, Hughes may be wise to take the money and security and convince Jack to make his way to Minnesota.
Wild can extend its championship window by signing Quinn Hughes for as long as possible
The biggest selling point Quinn can make in this situation is having Jack join a championship environment. The Wild just got out of the first round for the first time since 2016 last spring, but the expectations have been heightened thanks to the core he joined in Minnesota.
While the Devils have some foundational pieces in place including Jack an Luke Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier, it’s also not comparable to the Wild’s core of Kaprizov, Boldly and Brock Faber.
The Wild could also be on the verge of adding a top-line center. While Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings remains the top target, a front office shakeup in Detroit has put that on hold and the Wild may have already laid the groundwork for a Jack Hughes blockbuster.
It’s unlikely that happens right away as Jack Hughes has four years remaining on his deal. But if Quinn Hughes signs a five-year extension, Jack Hughes can use the threat of not re-signing as leverage that could have him heading to Minnesota in a trade package that could look much better than the one they’re using in their trade talks for Larkin.
Of course, this will have Devils fans screaming “What about Luke?” But with a better infrastructure and a team closer to winning a championship, there’s a good chance that Jack would choose Quinn and leave Luke feeling the same way Hugo Simpson felt after seeing himself in the mirror for the first time.
For that to happen, the Wild must convince Quinn to extend for as long as possible. And they may have the selling points to do it while also paving the way to bring Jack to Minnesota.
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