The Minnesota Wild entered the postseason believing Quinn Hughes could finally change the direction of the franchise after his blockbuster arrival from Vancouver. Instead, another deep playoff run ended abruptly after Minnesota blew a 3-0 lead against Colorado in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
With the offseason now underway earlier than they might have liked, attention has shifted to what comes next for Quinn Hughes and the Wild’s long-term plans.
Minnesota Wild’s Interest in Hughes Brothers Reveals Long-Term Vision Around Quinn Hughes
The organization is already facing pressure to secure Quinn Hughes beyond 2027, but recent reporting suggests Minnesota may be thinking even bigger.
That discussion emerged after one insider revealed the Wild had quietly explored the possibility of bringing Luke Hughes to Minnesota, while speculation around Jack Hughes joining his brothers has still not died down.
Quinn became the centerpiece of Minnesota’s future the moment the Wild acquired him from the Vancouver Canucks in December 2025. The trade cost Minnesota multiple premium assets, including Marco Rossi, Liam Öhgren, Zeev Buium, and a 2026 first-round pick.
Hughes, of course, immediately transformed the Wild’s blueline and helped the team win its first playoff series since 2015.
However, Minnesota’s second-round elimination has intensified speculation about whether Hughes will stay at his max eligible contract length. The defenseman has only one year remaining on his current contract with a $7.85 million cap hit before becoming eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2027. This uncertainty has created discussion around the possibility of all three Hughes brothers eventually playing together.
In a recent column for The Athletic, NHL insiders Michael Russo and Joe Smith revealed Minnesota has already explored part of that possibility during the season. They wrote, “Everybody knows the Hughes brothers want to play together.” The report added that the Wild “made a pitch to former Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald to acquire Luke [Hughes] this past season.”
Russo and Smith also explained why a move involving Jack Hughes remains far more complicated. They noted, “It seems unlikely that new GM Sunny Mehta’s first move will be trading Jack Hughes.”
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Minnesota’s interest in Luke signals that the franchise understands the larger picture surrounding Quinn’s future. The Wild are not only trying to build a contender around him but also attempting to create an environment that could strengthen his long-term commitment to the organization.
The Wild have Kirill Kaprizov (a $17 million AAV contract) and Matt Boldy signed for long term. Both offensive producers combined for 87 goals in the 2025-26 regular season, so their forward group is strong, leaving the defense as the Wild’s priority.
At the same time, New Jersey is also heavily linked to Quinn because both Jack and Luke already hold long-term contracts there. But Quinn becomes eligible to sign an extension with Minnesota on July 1, and reports indicate the Wild are prioritizing negotiations immediately.
While a family reunion in Minnesota remains far-fetched, stranger things have happened in this league of ours.
