Quinn Hughes heads back to Vancouver on Sunday with no clear read on how the crowd will greet him.
The Wild defenseman said Saturday he has no idea what kind of reception awaits in his first visit to Vancouver since the Canucks dealt him to Minnesota last December.
"I don't know what to expect ... but I'm going to face that when it comes," Hughes said, according to NHL.com's Nicholas J. Cotsonika. "Whether I'm booed or whatnot, that won't change how I feel about that place and how grateful I am for the experiences I've had there."
Hughes, 27, was moved to the Wild in a deal that brought back forwards Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren, defenseman Zeev Buium, and a first-round pick in the 2026 draft. Minnesota used that pick to select Adam Novotny. Buium and the Canucks later agreed to an eight-year, $75-million extension.
Minnesota landed Hughes with one and a half seasons left on his contract, and the sides still have not worked out a new one. Even so, the two-time All-Star said he believes he’ll remain with the Wild past the 2026-27 season.
"I'm really enjoying it right now and just taking my time, and we'll see where it goes," the 2024-25 Norris Trophy winner said. "I wouldn't be surprised if something happens soon."
He added: "My two feet are planted here in Minnesota."
Since the trade, Hughes has played 59 games for the Wild, piling up seven goals and 59 assists while averaging 27:49 of ice time.
The Canucks selected Hughes seventh overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, and he spent eight seasons in Vancouver, where he also served as the team’s captain before the move.
In Other News...
Quinn Hughes Just Put Wild Fans On Contract Watch
Quinn Hughes has quickly become a name worth tracking around Minnesota, and not just because of what he has done on the ice this season. The pending free agent said he has enjoyed his time with the Wild and pointed to the strength of the roster as part of what has made the fit feel so natural, which is exactly the kind of remark that tends to get fans looking ahead as much as they are looking at the standings.
The only catch is that Hughes is still taking his time with the next step, even as he plays through the final year of his current contract. He has been productive this season and clearly sounds comfortable in Minnesota, but for now the extension question remains open, leaving the Wild in that familiar spot where a good player and a good situation create optimism without quite delivering certainty. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Are Holding Firm In Dylan Larkin Trade Talks
The Wild have been linked as a possible landing spot for Dylan Larkin, but the talks are still very much in the early, messy stage that usually comes with a player of his caliber. Detroit is looking for young center help in return, which puts Minnesota in the conversation because of the type of prospects it can offer, but the Red Wings are not operating from any kind of urgency and are keeping the market open with interest coming from multiple teams.
For Minnesota, that means the fit is clear enough to keep watching, but the price remains the obstacle. Salary cap issues are part of the equation, and Detroit is believed to want more than a single prospect to move a centerpiece like Larkin, so any serious package would have to be built with extra value beyond the kind of player the Wild would most naturally put on the table. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Offseason Pressure Just Got Tied To Two Star Names
The Connor Hellebuyck trade to New Jersey has already started to ripple beyond the Devils, with analysts Michael Russo and EJ Hradek using it as a lens for what could come next around the league. For the Wild, the conversation has quickly turned into more than a one-off transaction story, because it touches the kind of player movement and contract planning that can reshape a roster in a hurry.
Minnesotas interest in Dylan Larkin is now part of that discussion, while Quinn Hughes remains unsigned and adds another layer to the offseason uncertainty. The broader point, as Russo and Hradek framed it, is that future trade value and draft-pick considerations can change fast when teams start dealing from different timelines, and the Wild are right in the middle of that kind of pressure. [Read more 🡒]