Quinn Hughes is sitting down with Wild GM Bill Guerin in Michigan today, and the number they land on will shape Minnesota's next several seasons.
Per Michael Russo, the Wild want to land somewhere between five and eight years on Hughes' next contract.
That range gets tighter fast. Once the new CBA fully kicks in on September 16th, the max term with his own club drops to seven years.
Russo's reporting suggests a three year extension still makes the most sense for Hughes right now, a shorter bridge instead of a long term lock-in.
-
Hughes was Vancouver's first round pick, taken 7th overall back in 2018, and he spent most of his career building into a franchise defenseman there.
He was traded to Minnesota partway through this past season, and the fit clicked almost immediately.
Across both stops last season, Hughes posted 7 goals and 69 assists for 76 points in 74 games, then added 15 points across 11 playoff games with the Wild.
Why three years might be the smartest number for Hughes
Career-wise, Hughes has piled up 66 goals and 419 assists for 485 points across 507 regular season games, elite production for any defenseman in this league.
That kind of résumé puts him firmly in the conversation for the richest deal of his career, whenever he actually signs it.
A three year bridge would let Hughes hit unrestricted free agency again still in his prime, right as the market for top defensemen keeps climbing.
Minnesota finished 46-24-12 for 104 points last season, seventh overall, exactly the kind of roster that wants its new franchise piece locked in without overpaying against a shrinking term limit.
Would Guerin rather secure a shorter deal now than get stuck negotiating around the new seven year max after September 16th?
Timing matters here as much as the actual number. Every day this drags past mid-September changes what's even legally possible in the contract.
Nothing about today's meeting guarantees a deal gets done. Russo's reporting frames this as continued talks, not a signing.
But with the calendar working against both sides, Minnesota and Hughes have real incentive to figure this out before September makes the decision for them.
Should Quinn Hughes take a shorter bridge deal instead of locking in long term now?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Connor McDavid's former teammate emerges as surprise Oilers target
