After months of speculation, the Quinn Hughes sweepstakes finally came to an end last week, with the Minnesota Wild emerging victorious and landing the second-best defenseman in the world for a substantial package in return.
There were reportedly several other suitors in the mix, but none came close to what Bill Guerin had to offer, including the New Jersey Devils.
Much of the hockey world still believes that no matter how things go in Minnesota, Quinn will eventually flee to the Garden State to join his brothers Jack and Luke. It’s an understandable assumption, and until he signs an extension with the Wild, it will remain very much a see-it-believe-it situation.
That said, Quinn seemed very appreciative of Guerin for “pick upto acquire him, so could he instead try to recruit his brothers – especially Jack – to join him in Minnesota? Keith Yandle, Paul Bissonnette and Ryan Whitney of Spittin’ Chiclets certainly don’t rule this out.
Yandle said:
“But why can’t the brothers play in Minnesota? No one ever said it has to be in New Jersey,”
Bissonnette responded:
“Bingo,”
Whitney added:
“Jack’s got three years left on his contract. And I’m not trying to throw shade or anything, you’ve got Quinn, and you’ve got Jack. Right now you’re going way down, and you’ve got Luke. Now, they’re brothers, right? But I’m saying in terms of the type of players we were talking about, Luke is nowhere near those other two guys. So what’s to stop Jack from saying, I’m going to Minnesota when this deal is done,”
The 24-year-old Hughes is in the fourth season of the eight-year, $64 million extension he signed with the Devils in 2021. He won’t be eligible to become a free agent until the end of the 2029-2030 season.
The missing piece in Minnesota is a center
Whether acquiring Jack is a realistic possibility anytime soon remains to be seen, but there is little doubt that a true number one center is the last piece missing in Minnesota, and that Hughes would be a perfect fit.
Joel Eriksson Ek currently fills that role for the Wild, with Danila Yurov and Ryan Hartman behind him. Minnesota might be able to survive with that lineup given how strong the rest of the roster is, but if they face a team like Colorado or Dallas in the playoffs and fall short, the need for a legitimate first-line centerman will only increase.
Bringing another Hughes to the Hockey State is a pipe dream at this point, but if Quinn settles in and commits long-term, speculation about Jack eventually joining him could become just as loud as the rumors linking Quinn to New Jersey in recent months.
Next: Frustrations are mounting for Zach Werenski in Columbus, something to keep an eye on?
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