The Minnesota Wild have been building for years now, and in 2025/26, they made the biggest splash of all, giving up three significant assets in a deal that saw them land then Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes.
While they weren’t able to go on a deep Stanley Cup Playoffs run, the team made another big trade this summer to land veteran winger Blake Coleman, and if they can pull off a deal to land their 1C ahead of the 2026/27 campaign, this is a team that’s seen as a genuine Stanley Cup contender. However, they need to look much further beyond that, with their biggest remaining priority being Hughes and a long-term contract, and now, they’re set to take a step towards a massive deal for their star defenseman.
Bill Guerin set for a Meeting With Quinn Hughes
GettyQuinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild.
Earlier this off-season, there was plenty of chatter around Hughes and his future, but for the most part, insiders around the league believe that the 26-year-old will be sticking around in Minnesota for quite some time, with the speculation surrounding a deal to New Jersey no where near as strong as it once was.
While we aren’t any closer to an official announcement of an extension, Michael Russo of The Athletic has now reported that General Manager Bill Guerin is heading to Michigan this week to discuss terms with Hughes, and it could end up in a long-term deal getting done.
According to Russo, the team are hoping for a deal in the 5-8 year range, while the player sees a three-year deal as one that makes the most sense, with he and his brother Jack likely both wanting to get to free agency at the same time, meaning there’s plenty of work for both parties if they want to get a deal done.
Although there were critics of the deal to get Hughes, he immediately showed why he’s considered one of the best blue liners in the NHL, as he would post 5 goals and 53 points in 48 games for the team, and as a result, the immediate future looks very bright.
Can the Wild be a Stanley Cup Contender With Hughes?
There’s still a clear, gaping hole on this Wild roster down the middle, but with the likes of Brock Faber, Matt Boldy and an elite goaltending tandem around Hughes in Minnesota, this is a team that’s shaping up as a true contender. Hughes is a key piece of that, and given that the team gave up Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium and Marco Rossi to make a deal happen, they will want to cash in now and get aggressive as they look to put the final touches on this roster.
Whether or not that’s simply a one-year run at the Cup or whether they can have sustained success over multiple years will depend on how things play out with Hughes, but there’s mutual interest in getting a deal done before the regular season begins, and with Guerin set to meet with Hughes, the wheels appear to be in motion for a deal to get done in the near future.
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