- Hughes says he’s “definitely open” to a Wild extension after Friday’s exit interview
- The Norris winner can sign a new deal July 1 with one year left on his contract
- Read below for Hughes’ full quote, the exit interview video, and Bill Guerin’s next move
Quinn Hughes opened the door wide on Friday.
Two days after Minnesota’s overtime elimination in Game 5, the Wild’s star defenseman addressed his future at break-up day and made it clear where he wants to be.
Joe Smith of The Athletic shared the key line:
Asked whether he wanted a deal done before next season starts, Hughes wouldn’t put a hard timeline on it:
“Not all of that’s up to me. We have to talk to Billy and see what he wants to do,” Hughes said. “Going into a year signed would be better but I’m a pretty mentally tough and focused guy. If we didn’t have something done going into the year, I would be ready to go in no matter what.”
Watch the full exit interview:
The 26-year-old just wrapped up the fifth year of a six-year, $47.1 million contract he signed with Vancouver back in 2021. Bill Guerin’s group flipped Zeev Buium, Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren and a 2026 first-rounder to land Hughes on Dec. 12, betting they could keep him long-term.
An extension can be signed starting July 1.
Michael Russo and Joe Smith reported Friday morning that a three-year extension wouldn’t surprise them. That term would line up with brother Jack Hughes’ contract in New Jersey and crack open the door for the Hughes brothers to eventually play together.
Numbers explain why this matters. Hughes piled up 53 points in 48 regular-season games after the trade and added 15 more in Minnesota’s 11 playoff games. He won the Norris in 2023-24 and just helped Team USA grab Olympic gold in February with Guerin running the front office.
Minnesota’s offseason starts with the same task they took on at the deadline: keep Quinn Hughes. After Friday, the work just got a whole lot easier.
