The prevailing chatter circulating in the NHL rumor mill is the ongoing saga of Quinn Hughes and the Minnesota Wild. But there could be an interesting angle to consider. Dylan Larkin may be the key to keeping Hughes in Minnesota.
According to an appearance by Wild guru Michael Russo on The Sheet with Jeff Marek, Hughes and Larkin have been skating every day. The situation has gotten to the point where it seems like Larkin already believes he’s playing for the Wild.
Now, it shouldn’t be surprising to see Hughes and Larkin be so close. They were both teammates on the US team that won gold at the 2026 Olympics in Milano-Cortina. That relationship, plus the connection to Wild GM Bill Guerin, seems to have made Minnesota Larkin’s preferred destination. In fact, the connection has gotten to the point where the Vegas Golden Knights and the Florida Panthers, Larkin’s other purported destinations, aren’t even a factor.
That said, landing Dylan Larkin could very well be what keeps Quinn Hughes in Minnesota. The Wild are looking to become serious Stanley Cup competitors. And Larkin would certainly help that cause. By making the Wild a much deeper team, Hughes could be persuaded to finally end all speculation and extend with the Wild.
Is Dylan Larkin Trade Holding Up Quinn Hughes Extension?
Insider Elliotte Friedman recently discussed what he expects to be Quinn Hughes’ number. During an appearance on NHL Network, Friedman stated that he believed Hughes would get a three-year deal at $18 million per season.
The Wild seem more than willing to pay. So, what’s the hold-up? Could it be that Hughes is waiting for the Larkin deal to come to fruition?
Could this be a situation of “Bring my friend and I’ll sign”?
Sure, the situation is a bit more complex than that. But it wouldn’t be surprising to see Quinn Hughes wanting more certainty regarding the Wild’s viability as a contender moving forward. And acquiring Dylan Larkin would be a major step in that direction.
What to read next:
Hughes, Wild Will Have to Wait for Larkin Trade to Happen
If a Larkin trade is really holding up the Hughes extension, everyone will have to wait a while before anything gets resolved. The Detroit Red Wings still don’t have a GM. Current placeholder Shawn Horcoff is running things, but does not have authority to conduct any trades.
That situation means that a Dylan Larkin trade won’t be happening anytime soon. It might even be months before there’s any sort of conclusion to this situation.
In the worst of cases, Dylan Larkin stays up in Detroit, leaving Quinn Hughes without one of his buddies in Minnesota. That situation may cost the Wild the chance to keep one of the NHL’s top three defensemen.
Such is life. Minnesota can only control so much. If it were up to Bill Guerin, the deal would have been done a long time ago. For now, it seems that the only thing everyone can do is stay in shape and wait.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Dylan Larkin Could Be Key to Keeping Quinn Hughes in Minnesota appeared first on HEAVY.