Quinn Hughes Isn’t Going Anywhere After Minnesota’s Playoff Exit
Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes during a game at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota. Photo credit: Matt Blewett
Written By Gina Anton
When the Minnesota Wild traded for Quinn Hughes, they weren’t making a short-term gamble. They were making a franchise decision.
Minnesota gave up major assets to pull Hughes away from the Vancouver Canucks because elite defensemen in their prime almost never become available. The Wild knew exactly what they were buying: one of the NHL’s best puck movers, a power-play quarterback, and a player capable of changing the identity of a team overnight.
That is exactly what happened.
After arriving in Minnesota, Hughes immediately became the centerpiece of the Wild blue line. He logged huge minutes, drove offense from the back end, and helped push Minnesota into legitimate contender territory. Even after the Wild were knocked out of the playoffs, there was little debate about his impact. Hughes was one of Minnesota’s best players throughout the postseason.
Financially, Hughes is actually one of the better values among NHL stars right now. His current contract carries a $7.85 million cap hit, a number that looks surprisingly low compared to what elite defensemen now earn across the league. Players at Hughes’ level are increasingly landing contracts above $10 million annually, meaning Minnesota already knows his next deal will be expensive.
Still, the Wild expected that when they traded for him.
The bigger issue is timing. Minnesota also has to prepare for a massive future extension for superstar forward Kirill Kaprizov. Keeping both players long term will require careful cap management, but the NHL’s rising salary cap gives the organization far more flexibility than it had in previous years.
Hughes spoke to reporters friday regarding his stance on his contract.
"I really like it here. I would definitely be open to re-signing. We'll see what Billy wants to do," Hughes said. "We're 36 hours removed [from elimination]. I'm not sure I'm ready to get into details, what they would look like."
Minnesota invested heavily to acquire Hughes because the franchise believes he can help lead a Stanley Cup run. One second-round playoff exit is not going to change that plan. Unless contract talks completely fall apart, the Wild are far more likely to build around Quinn Hughes than trade him away.
