Earlier this season, the Minnesota Wild pulled off arguably the biggest trade of the season, acquiring Vancouver Canucks captain and former Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes in return for defenseman Zeev Buium, centers Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren, as well as a first-round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Upon his acquisition, Hughes went on to set the Wild franchise records for both points (53) and assists (48) by a defenseman in a single regular season, and he set the NHL record for the most assists (29) in his first 25 games with a new franchise.
However, he and the Wild were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs earlier this week by the Colorado Avalanche, bringing an end to their season that saw them win a playoff round for the first time since 2015.
One of the major narratives surrounding the Wild will be on whether Hughes, who can become an unrestricted free agent next summer and is eligible for a contract extension this summer, will agree to a long-term extension with the club.
Quinn Hughes Is Open To Re-Signing With The Minnesota Wild
Speaking with media members during Minnesota’s season-ending media availability session, Hughes was naturally asked about his future intentions with the club, and indicated that he’s open to an extension.
“I mean, I really like it here. We’ll see what Billy (Guerin, Wild general manager) wants to do,” Hughes said. “Again, we’re not even 36 hours removed so, it’s a tough loss but I would definitely be open to re-signing here.”
Hughes also spoke about his trust in Guerin, who included him on the roster for Team USA in the Olympics that resulted in a historic gold medal victory.
“I have a lot of trust in Billy and respect him. The way he views building a championship team (in Minnesota), the players that we need, that’s how I view things,” Hughes said. “He’s a great person, too. Just takes care of the players. I want to win and he wants to win more than anyone. I don’t think there are many people more disappointed than him right now. He’s going to do everything he can to make us a championship team and that makes me excited.”
“From a mental aspect a lot has happened this year and I never really let myself process or let my hair down. I was just always trying to push myself to make sure I’m at my best,” Hughes said.
Will Quinn Hughes Re-Sign With The Wild?
The acquisition of Hughes was one of the biggest trades in team history, and the Wild gave up major assets to make it happen. Now, they hope that they’ll be able to convince him to stick around for the long haul.
“It’s been a really long year with being traded, then you go to the Olympics, then playoffs,” Hughes said. “Just from a personal note, probably, it’ll be nice to just go home and process the whole year and get some rest. As far as a physical standpoint I feel good. I did not want to stop playing. I felt I had good energy, felt motivated. So, feel good.”
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