Quinn Hughes still doesn't have a new deal with the Minnesota Wild, and the front office isn't sweating it.
Michael Russo of The Athletic reported Tuesday that there is no internal pressure or urgency to get a contract done immediately.
That's the front office talking. Fans are a different story.
Russo's report noted the Wild understand fan anxiety will only grow the longer these talks drag on.
Hughes landed in Minnesota partway through last season in one of the more stunning trades the league has seen in years.
He delivered immediately, posting 76 points in 74 games, including 69 assists and 32 power play assists for Minnesota.
That kind of production changes a negotiation. Hughes isn't a projection anymore, he's already the best defenseman on the roster.
" Michael Russo: Re Quinn Hughes negotiations: There is no pressure or urgency internally to get a deal done immediately, although the Wild understand that fan anxiety will only increase the longer talks continue - The Athletic (8/25)
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Minnesota's approach to Quinn Hughes contract could become a major risk
The Wild finished last season 46-24-12, good for 104 points and seventh overall in the league under head coach John Hynes.
A team playing that well has less incentive to rush a big number onto the books before it has to.
Hughes currently carries a $7,850,000 cap hit, a number that looks like a bargain next to his actual production.
GM Bill Guerin has time on his side here. There's no pending offer sheet threat mentioned in the report, and no external deadline forcing his hand before camp.
Think of it like a poker player who knows the other side has to act first. Guerin can afford to sit back and let the numbers speak.
Still, that patience carries risk. Every extra month without a signature is another month for speculation to fill the gap.
Wild fans watched their team overhaul its blue line around Hughes only months ago. Watching him play out a season without term attached is not the same kind of comfort.
Nothing about this situation demands a resolution before training camp opens, but that doesn't mean the questions stop coming.
The longer this drags into the season, the louder the noise gets around a player Minnesota can't afford to lose.
Should the Wild be worried about taking their time on a Quinn Hughes extension?
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