The Minnesota Wild are off to a strong start at 5-2-1, and Quinn Hughes has been a major reason why. He had two more assists in Thursday night’s 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues, pushing his season-opening point streak to eight games and giving him 12 points overall, with two goals and 10 assists.
But while Hughes keeps piling up production, his contract situation remains unresolved. And alongside that, another storyline that has lingered around the Wild since the offseason is still hanging in the air: trade talk with Detroit for Dylan Larkin.
Larkin asked the Red Wings to move him at the start of the offseason, and Minnesota has stayed involved throughout the process, even as Detroit changed general managers. The Wild have been the one team consistently linked to the gold medal-winning center since he hit the market.
Now, there’s growing belief that something could finally happen soon. On Friday’s episode of Frankly Hockey, John Buccigross said he received information Thursday night pointing to a trade out of Detroit in the near future.
Bucci: “I think there’s going to be a trade within 7 to 10 days in Detroit. I got a little bit of information last night which tells me that we’re going to see a trade. As things are happening in the lineup that - that’s all I’m going to say.”
When co-host Frank Seravalli pressed him, Buccigross made it clear who he meant.
Seravalli: “I’m not gonna ask you to spoil [those] droppings you’ve got, some crumbs. It has to be Larkin then, right? It’s not Edvinsson.”
Bucci: “Yeah, Larkin. Larkin. That’s coming.”
Buccigross still did not say where Larkin would land, only that a deal looked imminent, with the next 7-10 days mentioned as the window.
The Detroit side of this has only added more intrigue. The Red Wings have sent most of their top executives and scouts to Wild games over the past week or two. And even though Larkin recently expanded his trade list to as many as 10 teams, Minnesota is believed to be one of the few clubs still on his original list that remains involved.
The conversation then swung back to what a trade could mean for Hughes. Seravalli brought up Michael Russo’s earlier comment that Hughes would sign an extension the day after Minnesota lands Larkin.
“I saw that, so maybe that’s that 7 to 10 days thing,” Buccigross responded.
Russo had called it “total conjecture” on Thursday’s Daily Faceoff, but his point was straightforward.
“I really think that if they get Larkin, Quinn [Hughes] signs, like, the next day.”
There’s also a clear on-ice fit. Hughes and Larkin are close, skating together in the offseason, sharing an agent and winning a gold medal together.
And from Minnesota’s perspective, Larkin would fill a major need. He scored 34 goals and totaled 67 points in 74 games last season, the kind of top-six center the Wild have been chasing since the franchise began more than 25 years ago.
If the trade happens and it brings Hughes closer to a long-term deal, Minnesota could solve two major problems in one move.
In Other News...
Wild Forward Depth Is Putting One Veterans Future In Doubt
Minnesotas depth up front kept the focus on a night when the Wild handled St. Louis and walked away with a little concern about Kirill Kaprizov after a hit, though the star winger is still expected to be available next game pending further evaluation. In the bigger picture, though, the more intriguing subplot around the roster is where the forward crowd leaves a veteran like Ryan Hartman, who has been part of the clubs core but is now looking more vulnerable as the season unfolds.
Hartmans current struggles have not gone unnoticed, and the chatter around him has only grown because of where he stands in his contract situation. With the Wild continuing to lean on younger or more productive options at forward, his future has become one of those quiet roster questions that can linger until deadline season starts forcing decisions. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Suddenly Have A New Lineup Concern Before Sunday
The Wilds practice session on Friday came with a brief moment of concern when Kirill Kaprizov and Quinn Hughes were both absent from the ice. Kaprizov was sidelined because he was sick, while Hughes took a rest day, leaving Minnesota with a noticeably different look as it continued its build toward Sundays game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
John Hynes eased some of that unease afterward, indicating both players are expected to suit up against Columbus. Marcus Foligno and Jared Spurgeon were also back at practice, though neither is expected to be available for the next game, so the lineup picture still has a few moving parts heading into the weekend. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Young Defensemen Suddenly Have A Real Chance To Stick
Early in the season, injuries to Brock Faber, Jared Spurgeon and Olli Mtt have opened the door for a pair of young defensemen the Wild did not necessarily plan to lean on this soon. Daemon Hunt and David Spacek have been pressed into more regular duty, and for a team that values structure on the back end, the timing has created a genuine test of their NHL readiness.
John Hynes has liked what he has seen so far, especially the way both players have handled the puck and kept their game simple. For Hunt and Spacek, the challenge now is bigger than just filling in for a few shifts or games. With Minnesota searching for reliability and smart decisions on defense, this is the kind of stretch that can help a young player turn a temporary call-up into a real foothold in the lineup. [Read more 🡒]