The Minnesota Wild have spent the offseason chasing Dylan Larkin, but the Detroit Red Wings have made that path look steeper by the day. Steve Yzerman’s asking price has been a major roadblock, and according to the reporting, he even floated Matt Boldy as the centerpiece of a deal. That’s not a starting point Minnesota is willing to entertain.
That’s why another name has started to make sense: Jack Hughes.
On Wednesday’s episode of Judd’s Hockey Show, SKOR North’s Judd Zulgad said the Wild should be looking harder at New Jersey’s star center, especially if the goal is not just to land a top-line pivot but to keep Quinn Hughes in Minnesota’s orbit.
“I did see a credible report now that Yzerman did indeed ask about Matt Boldy, which is not happening. They’re not trading Boldy,“ Zulgad said during Wednesday’s episode of Judd’s Hockey Show.
“... I think the Wild, wisely, is trying to get into the Hughes brothers’ business.
Because if you get Jack, Quinn’s gonna stay, and quite frankly, so will Jack.”
The idea has gained some traction because the Wild have already checked in on Hughes, according to The Athletic’s Michael Russo. Bill Guerin has been tied to Larkin all offseason, but Hughes is now part of the conversation too.
There’s no question Hughes would be expensive. He’s entering his age-25 season, and the price tag would not be lighter than Larkin’s $8.7 AAV. But if Minnesota is looking at similar costs, Hughes brings a different kind of upside.
The No. 1 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft has put up 168 goals and 428 points in seven seasons with the Devils. Injuries have limited him to more than 62 games just once, but when he’s on the ice, he gives a team the kind of offensive punch the Wild have been trying to find down the middle.
Then there’s the Quinn Hughes angle. The source material notes that Quinn is expected to sign a three-year deal to line up with Jack’s contract, which runs through the 2029-30 season. But if Minnesota could convince Jack to come aboard, Quinn might be more open to the five-year deal owner Craig Leipold has been pushing for, with both brothers part of the Wild’s long-term picture.
Zulgad even sketched out a possible package, one that would not come cheap: goalie Jesper Wallstedt, center Joel Eriksson Ek, defenseman Jonas Brodin, center prospect Charlie Stramel and a first-round pick. And even that might not be enough if the Wild had to add Danila Yurov or more draft capital to get it done.
Still, the argument is simple enough. If Yzerman is dug in on Boldy, Minnesota may be better off shifting its energy away from Larkin and toward Hughes.
Larkin would fit. Hughes might fit better.
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