With training camp opening later this week, the Minnesota Wild still have unfinished business with Quinn Hughes, but GM Bill Guerin isn’t sounding the alarm.
Guerin said Tuesday that contract talks with Hughes are moving along, and he’s not losing sleep over the process.
"I’ve been very comfortable with where we’re at with Quinn for a long time because of the conversations him and I have had. These things take time, different things are important to different players and each player is a different process.
I’m real comfortable with where we are. Everything is fine," Guerin said.
That calm tone comes as the Wild prepare to hit the ice Thursday at TRIA Rink, with their first preseason game set for Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks at Grand Casino Arena. Hughes is expected to be there when camp opens, even as he enters the final year of his current deal.
The Wild brought Hughes in last season in a major trade to strengthen the blue line, and the move paid off right away. Minnesota reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 11 seasons with Hughes in the mix, and he delivered big numbers along the way: five goals and 48 assists in 48 regular-season games.
For now, Guerin says the conversations are ongoing and patience is the message.
Hughes, too, is in no hurry. He told reporters at the NHL’s Media Tour in Las Vegas last week that he wants the process to happen on his timeline.
"This is going to be done whenever I feel like it needs to be done. I don't feel backed up against a wall.
I'm very thoughtful. I want to make sure I'm taking my time on everything and make sure I'm making a decision that is going to be good for everyone.
That's kind of where my head has been at," Hughes said. "We haven't had that many conversations just because of how I wanted my summer to go in terms of being fresh and resetting and enjoying and training and being around friends and family.
As we get going here, I'm sure it'll heat up, but I don't feel backed up against a wall where I have to sign before camp."
Hughes is playing on a six-year, $47.7 million contract, and if the Wild don’t lock him up long term, he could become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2027.
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The timing matters as training camp approaches, because it removes one of the bigger questions hanging over the organization and turns the focus back to the ice. Earlier reports pointed to a deal being finalized soon, and now the Wild have made their confidence in Hynes plain, even if the longer-term shape of the roster still has plenty of work left ahead. [Read more 🡒]
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Still, an extension does not soften the scrutiny that comes with camp, especially for a roster that expects to be judged on results rather than promises. The Wild have key names present early and a coach with real stability, but that only raises the standard for what follows from here. With Hynes locked in and the core reporting to St. Paul, the question now is whether this group can turn that continuity into the kind of season that makes the bet look obvious. [Read more 🡒]