The Minnesota Wild are in a bit of a tight spot with Quinn Hughes, to say the least. The team made one of the boldest moves in its history, landing the former Norris Trophy winner last season.
That deal came with a bit of a poisoned pill.
Hughes did not come with a long-term contract, and, well, after Cale Makar signed his long-term extension in Colorado, the Wild are staring at their biggest trade ever blowing up in their faces.
That’s pretty much what Wild GM Bill Guerin admitted to on Monday. Speaking in a radio interview, and quoted by Daily Faceoff, Guerin essentially accepted that Hughes is far from re-signing in Minnesota.
“There’s a bar with Cale Makar signing that contract in Colorado, but Quinn might be after different things,” said Guerin. “He’s a different guy. He has a different personality and has different things in his life that are important to him. Who knows what he’s gonna want in the end.”
“Quinn might be after different things… He’s got different things in his life that are important to him. Who knows what he’s gonna want in the end.”
Sounds to me like he already knows Quinn
That does not sound good for Guerin, the Wild, and the fans. There is a very real possibility that the 26-year-old could test the market this summer. If he does, the likelihood of him returning to Minnesota next season could be very much up in the air.
Wild Could Still Keep Quinn Hughes — But It May Be Temporary
The Wild aren’t completely out of the Quinn Hughes sweepstakes just yet.
If Hughes is willing to stay in Minnesota, there is a deal that could make sense for both sides. But it probably won’t be the massive long-term commitment that Wild fans might want.
Something like a three-year contract worth around $18 million per season could give Hughes a massive payday while preserving his ability to cash in one more time before his career reaches its next stage.
Hughes would be around 30 when that contract expires, putting him in position to pursue another major deal while he’s still young enough to command a premium.
For the Wild, meanwhile, those three years would be crucial.
Minnesota would have time to prove that the team can actually contend for the Stanley Cup. If the Wild establish themselves as legitimate contenders, Hughes might have a reason to stick around.
But if Minnesota gets off to a rough start, the entire situation could unravel quickly.
What to read next:
Wild May Have No Choice But to Trade Hughes
If the Wild become convinced that Hughes isn’t going to re-sign, Bill Guerin may eventually have to make the painful decision to trade him.
Nobody in Minnesota will want to hear that.
Quinn Hughes was acquired to become a cornerstone of the franchise, not a short-term rental. But if the Wild know they’re going to lose him anyway, holding onto him simply to make a point would be difficult to justify.
That’s where things could get interesting.
A Hughes trade would likely create an absolute frenzy around the NHL. Every contender looking for an elite defenseman would have a reason to call Minnesota, and Guerin could potentially have several teams competing against one another for his services.
The return could be enormous.
Of course, trading Hughes would represent a failure of sorts for the Wild. But if there’s little doubt he’ll leave, maximizing the return could ultimately be the organization’s best option.
Minnesota still has time to change the story.
It just may not have much of it.
Quinn Hughes Looks Pretty Much Good as Gone From Minnesota