When Quinn Hughes was asked about signing a contract extension with the Minnesota Wild before the season, he told reporters he was in “no rush” to get a deal done. To this point, the Wild have obliged, giving the star defenseman all the time he needs to make a decision. But almost one month into the season, the vibe has changed.
Hughes is still unsigned and the hockey buzzards have circled St. Paul to speculate on his future. Amid the speculation is that Hughes is waiting to see what the Detroit Red Wings will do with Dylan Larkin, as the Wild are one of the frontrunners to facilitate a trade that would bring him to Minnesota.
As Hughes plays out the final season of his contract, it’s anyone’s guess as to what he’s thinking. But as the New Jersey Devils swung a blockbuster trade for Connor Hellebuyck on Friday, it’s clear the Wild need to do whatever it takes to get him to sign.
Wild are suddenly against the clock to keep Quinn Hughes
The Wild had plenty of reasons to let Hughes take his time. They were in a similar spot with Kirill Kaprizov one year ago and after mulling his options over the summer and even turning down an offer right before training camp, Kaprizov eventually signed on the dotted line, inking an eight-year, $136 million extension, which, at the time, made him the highest-paid player in NHL history.
Hughes seemed to be following a similar path, telling reporters during his exit interview that he was open to re-signing with the Wild. Owner Craig Leipold also said during an interview on Minnesota Public Radio that the Wild were pursuing a five-year contract, but Hughes’s camp was more open to a three-year deal, which seemed like an amicable compromise was on the horizon.
Leipold’s willingness to shell out money to keep players in Minnesota also played into the Wild’s favor. But The Athletic’s Michael Russo framed the situation as a decision more than a negotiation, with the deals on the table ready for Hughes to sign.
Having confidence in their culture and their ability to contend even in a difficult Central Division, the Wild were happy to give Hughes all the time he needed. But there were other reports that suggested that dominoes needed to fall.
Perhaps the biggest was acquiring Larkin, whose trade request became public back in June. A mentor for Hughes thanks to their connections as University of Michigan alums, bringing in Larkin, who is also a six-time 30-goal scorer and was a member of the United States Olympic team that won a gold medal during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, seemed like a reasonable request.
But the Wild have had to exercise even more patience as the Red Wings have looked for a general manager and dragged the saga out as they look for a better deal. Detroit also has the leverage in this situation with Larkin under team control for the next five seasons, giving them plenty of time to wait it out.
If the Wild’s available assets performed well, it’s possible a deal could be reached. But whatever timeline Bill Guerin has been operating under has been accelerated with the Devils’ trade for Hellebuyck.
The Devils gave up a haul to get Hellebuyck, sending centers Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, prospect Alexander Command, goalie Nico Daws, a seventh-round draft pick in 2027 and a second-round selection in 2029 to the Winnipeg Jets in return. But that price will sting a little less if Hughes signs to play with his brothers Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes next summer.
With just over seven months to go until Hughes can make it a reality with no obstacles in front of him, it would be very enticing to ride out the deal and sign in New Jersey next summer. But that also should push the Wild toward getting something done, no matter what means they have to use to make it happen.
Wild’s efforts to get Dylan Larkin could keep them in the Quinn Hughes sweepstakes
The most obvious path right now is by executing a trade for Larkin. Adding him along with the current core of Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Brock Faber should open a Stanley Cup window, but Daily Faceoff’s David Pagnotta noted earlier this week that Larkin himself could be waiting around to find out what happens with Hughes.
“I’ve got to imagine that if they agree to a deal for Larkin, that he walks right into that locker room, pulls Quinn aside and says, ‘We’re doing this. That means you’re staying for this,’” Pagnotta said. “...I think it goes hand in hand. I think it’s a good catch-22 that you want to have in that circumstance. But that being said, I don’t think you’re looking at a long-term deal for Quinn. I think it’s still that three [or] four-year range. …They’d love to make it five [years]. [But] I don’t think so. I think there’s something there that keeps him beyond next year if they get Dylan Larkin. [But] there are nine other teams.”
As Pagnotta mentioned, there’s also a long line of teams trying to get Larkin after he expanded his list of potential destinations, which could drive up the price. But like the Devils trading for Hellebuyck, that haul becomes considerably less if you’re plugging Hughes on the blue line either with an extension during the season or – in the Devils’ case – next summer.
If the Wild continue to wait it out, the risk of Hughes leaving for New Jersey (or anywhere else) becomes greater. While waiting was in the Wild’s benefit, now is the time to force the issue, whether it’s trading for Larkin or making a full-court press to get Hughes to sign. However it’s done, Wild fans will not care about the cost. But the ball is now in Minnesota’s court to get the deal across the finish line.
Add us as a preferred source on Google