Quinn Hughes’ contract situation with the Minnesota Wild continues to attract attention around the NHL. With no extension in place yet, the longer the talks go on, the more questions are being raised about his future.
Minnesota remains the favorite to keep its star defenseman, but the New Jersey Devils are an obvious team to watch if things take a turn.
Friedman Weighs In on Hughes’ Future
Hughes is entering the final year of his six-year, $47.1 million contract, which carries a $7.85 million annual cap hit.
The Wild would like to sign Hughes to a long-term extension, ideally for eight years, and keep their top defenseman in Minnesota through his prime.
However, a shorter deal could be more appealing to Hughes. A three-year extension would give him another opportunity to reassess his future while keeping his timeline closer to that of his brother, Jack Hughes, in New Jersey.
For now, though, nothing has been finalized.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman addressed the situation and admitted that he is still not overly concerned about the lack of a deal. “I have believed that Hughes is going to sign 3X18 in Minnesota. That is my prediction. And now people are starting to wonder what’s going on here. And I don’t have any panic about it yet,” Friedman said.
Friedman also joked that Hughes may simply be enjoying his summer with Jack rather than worrying about his next contract.
“Somebody had a really good line about that today to me. They said, Quinn Hughes has been too busy having fun this summer with Jack to worry about signing an extension. Like, you can’t find them anywhere. They’re out,” he said.
Friedman also pointed out that the recent rise in elite NHL salaries could be making negotiations more complicated. With the league’s top players pushing the salary ceiling higher, Hughes’ camp has a strong argument for a massive annual salary.
A projected three-year, $18 million AAV deal would give Hughes $54 million over the life of the extension.
Wild general manager Bill Guerin has also tried to avoid putting a timeline on the negotiations.
When asked whether he remained confident that Hughes would re-sign, Guerin gave a cautious response. “I’m not gonna get too far into it, but I have been talking to his camp all along. These things take time. They are big decisions for players and teams, so it’s a process to work through it,” Guerin said.
Still, the lack of an extension gives other teams a reason to keep watching.
If negotiations completely break down, New Jersey could potentially emerge as one of the most aggressive suitors. The Devils have young talent and draft assets that could help them build a serious offer.
For now, however, there is no reason for Minnesota to panic.
But if Hughes enters training camp without an extension, the speculation will only grow. And with the Devils lurking in the background, every update from Minnesota will be worth watching.
