Quinn Hughes open to re-signing with Wild
Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin made a big bet in the middle of this season when he sent a hefty package of young palyers and draft picks to the Vancouver Canucks to land superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes.
Now that Hughes has proven to be a good fit with the team, powering them to a strong regular season and first-round series victory over the Dallas Stars, he’s expressed an openness to making a longer-term commitment to the Wild.
Speaking to reporters in St. Paul at the team’s locker cleanout day on Friday, Hughes addressed the situation surrounding his contract and future.
“I really like it here,” Hughes said. “I love the team; I love the city and the fans. Being in that locker room, it’s a special group. I would definitely be open to re-signing here with the guys that we have. There’s a lot of trust with [Guerin], as well.”
Quinn Hughes: “I really like it here. I love the team. I love the city and the fans. Being in that lockerooom, it’s a special group. I would definitely be open to re-signing here with the guys that we have. There’s a lot of trust with Billy as well. Love Hynesy + Cappy and the Show more
Hughes has one season remaining on a six-year contract that carries a salary cap hit of $7.85 million, and he is eligible to sign an extension on July 1.
The 26-year-old offensive dynamo had a hectic year that began with a Canucks squad that finished the year as the worst in the league by a distance before a mid-December trade to Minnesota. In February, he helped push Team USA to its first Olympic gold medal since 1980.
When NHL play resumed, he and the Wild closed out a regular season with little intrigue, as the squad was virtually locked in as the No. 3 seed in the Central Division in that matchup against the Stars.
The Wild went on to upend Dallas in six games, snapping a long drought for the franchise without a playoff series win. Minnesota did not fare as well in the second round against the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche, falling in five games.
In total, Hughes finished his season with 74 games played that saw him tally 7 goals and dish out 69 assists for 76 points. In the postseason, he tacked on 4 goals and 11 assists for 15 points in 11 appearances.