Quinn Hughes is still undecided on his future with the Wild, and the Devils just made their pitch louder by landing Connor Hellebuyck.
Pierre LeBrun checked in again this week. The star defenseman hasn't told Minnesota he won't extend, and he hasn't told the Wild he will.
“He's undecided, period,” LeBrun wrote. That's the scariest sentence Bill Guerin could read right now.
Friday's blockbuster changes the math. If the Devils are serious about reuniting the three Hughes brothers, LeBrun believes Sunny Mehta “made the ultimate chess move.”
The family pieces are already in place. Jack has 11 points through 10 games, and Luke already has three goals.
Quinn has 13 points and a +6 rating in Minnesota.
At a $7,850,000 cap hit, he's one of the best bargains in the league. That's exactly what makes losing him unthinkable.
Bill Guerin's Larkin chase could decide whether Hughes stays
Guerin's counter would be Dylan Larkin. No team has made more trade offers to Detroit over the past few months than Minnesota, according to LeBrun's sources.
The problem? After nearly emptying the cupboard in December to pry Quinn out of Vancouver, the Wild haven't found a package that works.
And there's new competition. Larkin added the Devils to his list of approved teams earlier this month, though LeBrun still thinks the odds favor him landing elsewhere.
Minnesota is the girlfriend planning the future while her boyfriend keeps glancing at his brothers' group chat.
Carolina has to be stinging too. The reigning champions had a fair offer on the table for months and watched Hellebuyck go to a Metro rival.
The Wild are in Seattle on Saturday, then Vancouver on Sunday. They've lost two straight, including a 2-1 decision in Calgary on Thursday.
Guerin can't sit and wait for an answer. If he doesn't land Larkin or a commitment, he risks being the GM who emptied the cupboard for a player who walked.
Here's the kicker: the Wild host the Devils on February 28, one day before the March 1 deadline. If Hughes still hasn't decided by then, that game becomes an audition for both sides.
Will Quinn Hughes end up playing with his brothers in New Jersey?
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