Quinn Hughes is one of the best players in the NHL.
The superstar defenseman is also incredibly underpaid by the Minnesota Wild.
The good news for Hughes is that this is the last year of his current contract. Whatever happens next will surely make him one of the highest-paid players in the sport.
That’s not necessarily good news for the Wild, though. They’ve got to get their checkbook ready, and they’ve also got to convince Hughes that they’re the best team for him to sign with.
As the NHL begins its season on Tuesday night, Hughes will remain in the spotlight until a deal gets done — or until it becomes clear that his future is elsewhere.
Quinn Hughes Contract Details
Hughes’ current contract pays him nowhere near the top defensemen in hockey.
This offseason, the Colorado Avalanche gave Cale Makar a contract worth $20.4 million per year.
Hughes makes $8.25 million per year.
“Hughes, 26, is entering the final year of a contract that is now significantly under market value,” ESPN’s Emily Kaplan wrote on Tuesday. “Hughes’ AAV is $8.25 million; Cale Makar just signed a new deal carrying a $20.4 million AAV. Most around the league believed Hughes would sign a three-year extension to align him with his brother Jack in unrestricted free agency, but a deal didn’t materialize over the summer.”
The Wild swung a huge blockbuster deal last season to acquire Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks, but that trade only continues to look brilliant if they’re able to keep him in Minnesota.
“There might not be a more aggressive power player in the NHL than Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin,” Kaplan writes. “He transformed Minnesota into a legitimate contender, earned significant trust from his star players and completed the biggest trade in the NHL last season, landing Quinn Hughes. Now comes one of the most consequential negotiations of his tenure: keeping Hughes in Minnesota through the prime of his career.”
Will Quinn Hughes Sign in Minnesota?
It sounds like Hughes could still sign with the Wild, but it doesn’t seem like he’s in a rush.
“The biggest thing for Hughes is keeping his options open,” Kaplan writes. “Take the most time he can before he has to commit. Guerin told me he’s not setting a deadline on when he needs a decision. The noise will grow louder, especially if there’s no clarity by February’s trade deadline.”
There’s a lot of season to be played before anything will get really contentious. A lot could also depend on how well the Wild are doing by the time the trade deadline approaches.
Of course, Hughes could wake up one day and decide he wants a new contract. It certainly seems like the Wild would be happy to keep him around.
But as the 2026-27 NHL season drops the puck, Hughes doesn’t have an extension yet.
Wild’s Quinn Hughes Contract Update Arrives for NHL Opening Night