- Bill Guerin says he hasn’t talked contract with Quinn Hughes or his agent “in a long time”
- On a possible Hughes trade, the Wild GM said “I don’t know what I’m going to do”
- Read below for the full Guerin quotes and where Hughes stood last week
Bill Guerin doesn’t know what happens with Quinn Hughes’ contract, and he said so out loud.
The Wild general manager joined the Chad Hartman Show on WCCO Radio Wednesday and was asked if he has decided to keep Hughes through the rest of the season and see where this goes.
“I haven’t really decided,” Guerin said. “At some point in time, I’ll have to try to figure things out and see what’s best for the team. But I know one thing’s for sure: having Quinn on our team is what’s best for the team. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know what I’m going to do. There’s no date.”
Hartman posted the interview on X:
Guerin was asked why the two sides haven’t been talking. He said it’s been a long time since he spoke with Hughes or his representation about a new deal.
“There’s nothing really to talk about right now,” Guerin said. “What am I going to do? Like, going, you know, please, please, please, please? This is a unique situation. I think Quinn needs to wrap his head around a couple of things.”
That is a different tone than the one Hughes had last Saturday. He told reporters in Seattle he “wouldn’t be surprised if something happens soon” and that his “two feet are planted here in Minnesota,” which we covered in our Hughes extension story. Check out his full media availability from that day:
Guerin also took a shot at how the situation is being covered. “I think some people want to make this more complicated than it really is,” he said. “Being the media. And it’s not that complicated.”
Hughes isn’t letting any of it slow him down. The 27-year-old has 18 points in 14 games, good for second among NHL defensemen, and he is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Minnesota gave up Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium and a first-round pick to get him from Vancouver in December. Guerin says he cares “more than anybody,” but for now the only date on the calendar is the one he said doesn’t exist.
