- Quinn Hughes says he does not feel “backed up against a wall” to sign with the Wild before camp
- Minnesota can only offer eight years through Sept. 15, when the new CBA cuts the maximum term
- Read below for what Hughes said about doing this on somebody else’s timeline
Quinn Hughes is not signing anything just to keep everyone else comfortable.
The Wild defenseman spoke publicly about his contract for the first time this offseason on Wednesday at the NHL/NHLPA Player Media Tour in Las Vegas. Asked where his head is at on a decision that has hung over two franchises all summer, he did not soften it.
“It is my life. I’m not going to do anything to make someone else happy. Obviously, I like to think of myself as a thoughtful person … I think that everyone’s got to do whatever makes them happy and where the chips fall they fall.”
Then came the calendar question. Hughes told reporters, including NHL.com’s Dan Rosen, that the timeline belongs to him.
“This is going to be done whenever I feel like it needs to be done. I don’t feel backed up against a wall. I’m very thoughtful. I want to make sure I’m taking my time on everything and make sure I’m making a decision that is going to be good for everyone.”
Minnesota has a real reason to want this handled now. The Wild can put an eight-year offer in front of Hughes only through Sept. 15. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement starts the next day and drops the ceiling to seven years for a player re-signing with his own team, six for anyone signing as a free agent.
Hughes explained why the talks have moved so slowly, and it comes down to how he wanted his summer to go after a trade, an Olympic gold medal and a move.
“We haven’t had that many conversations,” he said. He got to Minnesota a couple of days ago and expects things to heat up now.
None of it read as a player angling for the exit. Hughes called John Hynes, Bill Guerin and defense partner Brock Faber massive draws, per The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus, and said the organization has nothing left to prove to him.
“Of course it’s a spot I could see myself staying,” Hughes said. “I mean, obviously.”
The 26-year-old is in the last year of a six-year, $47.1 million deal at a $7.85 million cap hit, and he can hit unrestricted free agency on July 1, 2027. Cale Makar’s eight-year extension in Colorado set the defenseman market at $20.4 million a season. Chris Johnston reported this week that Hughes had been having trouble making up his mind about his future.
Hughes would not go near the terms.
“It’s between me and Billy and ultimately we’ll figure it out and you guys will find out at that point,” he said.
Whatever Hughes lands on, the eight-year version of it has to be signed by Sept. 15.
