No matter how much the Wild change their roster — even if they finally acquire that long-awaited top-line center — it will feel like they have unfinished business this offseason until they re-sign Quinn Hughes.
The Wild knew Hughes couldn’t guarantee he would stick around when they acquired him in December, pulling off the biggest trade in franchise history and the stunner of the NHL season when they sent Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium and a first-round draft pick to Vancouver for the superstar defenseman.
But Hughes, whose current contract runs through next season, is open to a new deal, and why wouldn’t he be?
He fit in seamlessly, solidifying the defense, jolting the offense and helping the Wild solve the pesky problem that had been the first round of the playoffs by winning their first series in 11 years. Even though they were eliminated in the second round, the Wild established themselves as a Stanley Cup contender.
Their window of opportunity will be open as long as Hughes is here.
Talks between Hughes and the Wild have been preliminary.
President of Hockey Operations Bill Guerin has communicated with Hughes directly and with Hughes’ agent, Pat Brisson, on multiple occasions. The expectation is they will turn their focus to Hughes’ situation now that the draft is over and NHL free agency has quieted down, both of which kept the Wild busy; after making three selections at the draft, the Wild re-signed Zach Bogosian and Nick Foligno, added a third goalie in Calvin Pickard and signed forward Maxim Shabanov before trading Jake Middleton to Calgary for Blake Coleman and Olli Maatta.
The longest Hughes, 26, can sign with the Wild is eight years if he signs before the new collective bargaining agreement kicks in Sept. 16 and the maximum drops to seven years.
But a shorter contract might suit Hughes.
The Canucks were motivated to move Hughes because they felt it was unlikely he would re-sign with them and he wanted to play with his brothers Jack and Luke, who are with New Jersey.
If that’s a priority for Hughes, he could opt for a three-year deal with the Wild, which would expire at the same time Jack’s contract ends, giving the brothers the option to team up in 2030.
As for how much this contract could cost, that’ll be the most interesting development.
The price for No.1 defensemen is about to soar because two of the best defenders in the league in Hughes and Colorado’s Cale Makar are due for extensions this summer.
Erik Karlsson’s $11.5 million salary-cap hit with Pittsburgh is the largest in the NHL for a defenseman … but that’s surely about to change.
In recent years, top defensemen have commanded cap hits of $11 million (Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin), $10.587 million (Dallas’ Thomas Harley) and $10.5 million (Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard).
Hughes and Makar are in a league of their own, so they could easily land in the $15 million to $18 million range.
A deal with an annual value of $18 million would eclipse Kirill Kaprizov’s eight-year, $136 million extension signed in September that averages out to a $17 million annual cap hit.
But contracts for star players have been all over the map.
Edmonton’s Connor McDavid stayed put at a team-friendly $12.5 million to help the Oilers build around him. Vegas’ Jack Eichel clocked in at $13.5 million and Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor at $12 million. All three were eligible for extensions last summer like Kaprizov and signed after Kaprizov.
Even over the past week deals have varied: Nico Hischier got a five-year, $58.5 million deal from New Jersey ($11.7 million cap hit), while Anaheim’s Leo Carlsson signed a massive five-year, $90 million offer sheet with Philadelphia that gives the 21-year-old the highest cap hit in the league at $18 million whether Anaheim matches and he remains with the Ducks or they pass and Carlsson joins the Flyers.
Finalizing an extension this summer makes sense.
Hughes indicated it would be better for him to have a contract in place before the season, but negotiations can still take time. Kaprizov didn’t sign until training camp, and extensions didn’t get done for McDavid, Eichel and Connor until around the start of last season.
What could also delay the process is if Hughes and/or Makar wait for the other to sign to set a benchmark that the other can use as a comparable.
Either way, Hughes is on the brink of a hefty raise from the six-year, $47.1 million contract he’s wrapping up next season.