The Minnesota Wild’s clock is ticking to get defenseman Quinn Hughes signed after seeing Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar get a contract extension today.
Makar signed a historic 8-year deal worth $163.4 million, which makes him the highest-paid player in NHL history. He’s the first NHL skater to be making over $20 million as an annual salary.
The Avalanche lock in Makar for 8 years before the new CBA kicks in on September 16. Based on the new CBA, any extension signed on that date and beyond can be up to 7 years as opposed to 8.
Makar and his reputation warranted this kind of contract. He’s been nominated for the Norris Trophy 6 consecutive times, winning 2 overall, won the Stanley Cup, and was named Rookie of the Year after the 2019-20 season.
On top of that, he was the quickest NHL D-man to reach 200 regular-season points and the quickest to 100 playoff points. He’ll continue to earn what he’s being paid over the course of his career.
Now all the attention goes to what Hughes’ next deal will look like, or will negotiations bleed into training camp?
According to insider Elliotte Friedman, Hughes and the Wild have been quiet. There hasn’t been much conversation – perhaps until now – about an extension for the former Vancouver Canucks captain.
How Quinn Hughes’ Contract Can Be Built
One thing to keep in mind for Hughes’ next contract, should it get done before the new CBA rules begin, is that contracts can be front-loaded.
Signing bonuses can also make up nearly the entire cash value of the contract and leave the league minimum as the base salary.
After the new CBA rules come into effect on Sept. 16, aggregate signing bonuses will be limited to a maximum of 60% of the entire contract’s total value.
The lowest-paying year of a contract must be at least 71% of the highest-paying year.
Hughes and his camp will need to work diligently to reach what Makar was able to get from the Wild. However, Minnesota General Manager Bill Guerin will need to play ball too.
Minnesota locked in Kirill Kaprizov during last season’s training camp, and now the same can be said about Hughes. It’s just a matter of whether the new CBA rules matter enough to both parties as this contract continues to be negotiated.
Hughes’ Impact since joining Minnesota
After being traded from the Canucks last December, Hughes’ career has seen a lot of changes, and one of his largest accomplishments to date came at the Olympics.
He was part of Team USA’s Gold Medal victory over Canada in February. He also helped the Wild win a playoff series, their first since 2015.
On the road to the Stanley Cup Playoffs with Minnesota, Hughes put up 53 points in 48 games after joining the Wild. That was the third most points among NHL D-men since December 13.
Then, as the Wild made a push to clinch a playoff spot with Hughes, they went 29-15-7.
The D-man also put up 22 points on the power play with Minnesota. On the man-advantage, the Wild were converting 27.8 % of the time after acquiring Hughes.
As Hughes walked away from his 7th full season, he put up 76 points in 74 games. He’ll aim to keep up his strong on-ice performance with the Wild for what will be his first full season in Minnesota.
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Hughes due extension after Makar signs record-breaking deal