Wild Willing To Lose Quinn Hughes For Nothing
Speaking to NHL.com’s Nicholas J. Cotsonika in Toronto on Tuesday, Guerin was asked whether he’d keep Hughes past the March 1 deadline even without an extension. “Sure,” he said.
“Honestly, we’re a better team with Quinn Hughes, so I mean, I want to keep him as long as I possibly can,” Guerin said. “Whether it’s three months, three years, seven years, whatever, we’re a better team with Quinn Hughes.”
That’s a big gamble. Hughes, 27, is in the final season of the six-year, $47.1 million contract he signed with Vancouver in October 2021, which carries a $7.85 million cap hit. If he doesn’t sign before June 30, he becomes an unrestricted free agent the next day.
Talks Still Stuck In Neutral
Guerin described the situation as “status quo,” more than four months after Hughes became eligible to sign an extension on July 1.
“Honestly, I just want him to focus on hockey,” Guerin said. “Like I said, he knows what’s going on in his head. He understands everything.”
Guerin also said he doesn’t know when he’d feel forced to make a decision on Hughes’ future.
Joe Smith - The Athletic - #mnwild & Kucherov | If Quinn Hughes decides not to re-sign with Minnesota, president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin will be swimming in cap space next summer. And Kucherov will be the kind of big fish the Wild would absolutely target — along with most of the other teams in the league. - 11/8 #NHL #GoBolts
— R i N K Y (@RinkyReport) November 8, 2026
The Wild were reported in August to be confident they’d get an extension done before this season started, but it never happened. Last month, Guerin told WCCO’s Chad Hartman Show there was little he could do on his end.
“There’s nothing to talk about right now,” Guerin said then. “What am I going to do, say ‘Please, please, please?’”
Hughes himself said at the end of October that he “wouldn’t be surprised if something happens soon,” but nothing has changed since.
Wild Paid A Big Price For Hughes
The Wild acquired Hughes from Vancouver on December 12, 2025, sending forwards Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren, defenseman Zeev Buium and a 2026 first-round pick to the Canucks.
Hughes has been everything Minnesota hoped for on the ice. He has 80 points, including 69 assists, in 68 games since the trade, and his 27 points in 20 games this season rank second among NHL defensemen.
The Minnesota Wild have likely offered Quinn Hughes the max AAV at whatever amount of years he wants, per @FriedgeHNIC. The ball is in Hughes' court. https://t.co/5PTx2t3l96
— PuckEmpire (@puckempire) November 1, 2026
The 2024 Norris Trophy winner is a big reason the Wild are 13-3-4 and leading the Central Division, which is why Guerin isn’t eager to move him just to guarantee a return.
If he does keep Hughes through March 1 without a deal, though, the Wild could see the player they paid so much for walk away next summer with nothing coming back.
