Quinn Hughes kept the Minnesota Wild’s offense humming on Thursday night, and in the process he moved another step into NHL history.
The Wild defenseman picked up an assist against the St. Louis Blues at Grand Casino Arena, stretching his season-opening assist streak to eight straight games. That ties Filip Kuba for the second-longest run ever by a defenseman to start a season.
Only three defensemen in NHL history have managed an assist in each of their team’s first eight games of a season, according to NHL Stats. The standard above them is still sitting one game away: John-Michael Liles owns the league record with a nine-game assist streak to open the 2010-11 season.
Kuba’s eight-game stretch had stood alone in second place after he did it to begin the 2008-09 campaign. Hughes has now matched that mark and will have a shot to join Liles atop the record book when Minnesota plays its ninth game.
It’s been more than just the assists, too. Hughes has recorded at least one point in every game this season, making him one of the Wild’s steadiest offensive weapons right out of the gate. That run also pushed him past Andrew Brunette, whose seven-game point streak to start 2009-10 had been the best season-opening mark in Wild history.
For Minnesota, it’s another reminder that Hughes’ value goes far beyond the blue line. He’s carrying major responsibility on defense while still piling up production at a pace that keeps landing him in rare company.
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