Why the Wild’s Quinn Hughes’ isn’t stressing about his next contract
LAS VEGAS – Sometimes, when an NHLer’s contract status is under scrutiny and he’s asked about it, he’ll stall. He’ll spin yarns, filibuster, answer without really answering, do whatever he can to misdirect.
But when Minnesota Wild superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes lays out the reasons he’s been slow getting to the negotiating table with GM Bill Guerin, it’s pretty legit. If you zoom out and understand the year Hughes just had, it’s no wonder he needed some space before pondering his future.
Honestly, rather than paraphrase, it’s best to have him lay out what he’s been through since the middle of last season from the moment the Vancouver Canucks traded him to the Wild.
“You get traded, you’re trying to get an apartment, and then you get settled in for two weeks,” Hughes said Wednesday at the NHL Player Media Tour. “Also, I was there in December. I got traded in December. I was there for six, seven days, you go home for Christmas for four days. You come back – we have the longest road trip in Wild history, because of the World Juniors being at the rink. And then you go home for two weeks, and then you go to the Olympics for a month. So that’s just why it was a lot.”
Afte the Olympic gold medal fallout, which included Quinn and his brother, New Jersey Devils star center Jack Hughes, working the talk-show circuits and appearing on Saturday Live, Quinn had the playoff stretch drive to worry about, plus a run into Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs, all while playing monster minutes – 30:57 per night in the postseason.
So it’s actually believable when he maps out everything he’s done in the past nine months and says he hasn’t been in a hurry to figure out a contract extension, which he became eligible to sign July 1 with his current deal expiring in 2027. The summer was about disconnecting from the game, spending time with friends and family and even attending the World Cup.
“I’d say this summer was mainly more for just taking the piano off your back a little bit and just letting loose and enjoying it a little bit,” Hughes said. “Obviously I trained extremely hard, and I feel like I’m in top shape right now, but as we’re getting going now, got to Minnesota a couple of days ago, we’ll start figuring it out.”
Figuring it out could prove complicated, however. First, there’s the factor of Hughes’ forever counterpart, Colorado Avalanche superstar Cale Makar, securing his bag this summer, signing an eight-year extension at an AAV of $20.4 million, the highest in NHL history. That came weeks after the Anaheim Ducks’ Leo Carlsson and the San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini landed contracts paying them $18 million and $18.8 million a year, respectively. Hughes, a Norris Trophy winner also playing on a Hall of Fame trajectory, might slot in just below Makar on most people’s lists of the best defensemen in the sport, but there’s a strong chance Hughes will flirt with $20 million as well. Holding off on an extension has proven a wise move already with Makar setting the bar so high.
“I think it’s awesome for the league,” Hughes said. “There’s only one Cale Makar, right? You’re not getting him really through a trade. You draft him, and now he’s done. I think he’s going into his eighth year, he came in with me, so now he just signed another eight years. These guys aren’t up on the market, so you’ve got to take care of them while you can, and I’m really happy for him. I think he deserves that, and as far as everyone else that went big, Leo and Macklin, they deserve it too. That’s where the league’s going, and top guys and everyone should be getting paid as much as they can.”
The Wild already have $17 million per year committed to their star left winger Kirill Kaprizov and, as the Ducks are learning the hard way with Carlsson and RFA Cutter Gauthier, managing multiple enormous cap hits gives a GM serious challenges in keeping his group together and competitive. The Wild have more than $67 million on the books for next season so far, with multiple veterans set to become UFAs, plus rising-star goaltender Jesper Wallstedt an RFA – with a hole at No. 1 center yet to be filled long term.
It’s understandable, then, that a Hughes extension will take time from Minnesota’s side.
And from his side: there are countless external factors to consider. Brady Tkachuk forced a trade from the Ottawa Senators this summer so he could play with brother Matthew with the Florida Panthers. As multiple NHLers suggested this week at the Player Media Tour, it’s only human to want to play on a sibling’s team. Is there a bit of envy on Quinn’s side, wondering if he could join Jack and Luke in New Jersey someday?
“No, I don’t think it’s envy,” Hughes told Daily Faceoff. “Because I’m happy for Brady, and I’ve seen a lot of stuff where it’s like, someone was saying that Ottawa is gonna give Brady a video [tribute] or whatever, and people are wondering if they should do that or not, and in my opinion, Brady had eight years of hockey there where he put everything into the Ottawa Senators. And then ultimately he made a decision to go play with his brothers. I don’t think anyone can look at him differently because of that. He’s living his dream, he’s in Florida. They’re going to have a really good team. If we’re being honest, they’re going to have a really, really good chance to win this year, and he’s gonna do it with Matthew. So when I saw those two at the Olympics, that’s what he wanted to do. And I’m happy for him.”
As Jack adds on the subject, whether there are feelings of envy or not, the fantasy of placing Quinn on the Devils isn’t nearly as easy as it sounds anyway.
“No, not at all, because there’s so much that goes into play, right?” Jack told Daily Faceoff this week. “Brady’s making $8.1 [million]. That’s a much easier contract to move. Me and Luke are playing together. Matthew and Brady are now playing together. It’s much easier for two brothers to play together than three.
“On top of that, Quinn is one of the best players in the league and has a huge deal that’s going to be coming. Yeah, I’m happy for Matthew and Brady because I know how much fun they’ll have because I get to do that with Luke, and I’m excited for them.”
So we shouldn’t expect a Hughes brothers reunion too soon. But what about in 2030, when Jack’s contract is up? Could that motivate Quinn to sign a shorter extension with the Wild and become a UFA at the same time?
What matters for now is: Hughes wants to remind everyone how happy he is in Minnesota. It might feel like déjà vu from a year ago when he was peppered with questions about his future with the Canucks. But, as he points out, the Canucks were in a much different place on their contention timeline, making the comparison very apples-to-oranges.
“Vancouver weighed heavy on me just because where we were 31st or 32nd in the league. That ain’t fun,” Hughes said. “I don’t see that happening in Minnesota. I think we’ve got a great team. So it’s not going to weigh over me personally. I’m excited to play hockey. I think if I can stay healthy, I’m gonna have my best season. I feel great.”
He can’t say enough good things about partner Brock Faber, with whom Hughes’ chemistry is so great that he feels he’ll “play another three, four years in the league” just because of how well Faber skates and how much easier he makes life for him. Hughes speaks effusively about multiple other teammates, too. He’s comfortable and not feeling pressure to make a decision on his deal just yet.
“This is going to be done whenever I feel like it needs to be done,” Hughes said. “I don’t feel backed up against the wall. I’m very thoughtful. I want take my time on everything and make sure I’m making a decision that is going to be good for everyone. That’s where my head’s been at.
“Obviously I really do like it there. We’ve got a great team. I love the coaches, I love Billy. Of course it’s a spot I could see myself staying or we wouldn’t even… I mean, I could have got traded in the summer. But it’s a place that I think would be and has been a great fit. It was a great fit for me last year.”
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