The Minnesota Wild’s swing for Quinn Hughes has gone from bold to messy, and now Bill Guerin may be staring at a way out. What once looked like a victory lap could turn into a chance to cut bait, recoup value, and move on from a situation that no longer seems to be working.
For a stretch, the New Jersey Devils looked like the team best positioned to land Hughes. That changed when Guerin stepped in and paid up for the superstar defenseman.
Now, though, Hughes is described as being stuck in limbo and looking unlikely to re-sign in Minnesota. If that’s the reality, Guerin has reason to explore a reset.
The Devils could be the team to help make that happen, especially if Hughes still wants to play with his brothers. That opens the door to a trade framework that would let Minnesota break even while giving New Jersey a shot at landing one of the NHL’s premier defensemen.
In that proposed deal, the Devils would receive Quinn Hughes, while the Wild would get Anton Silayev, Dawson Mercer, Alexander Command, and a 2027 first-round pick.
The return is notable for one obvious reason: it would essentially hand Minnesota back the four first-round picks it originally gave up to get Hughes. That kind of package would let Guerin step away from the table with something to show for the move and rebuild his asset base going forward.
It wouldn’t be the ideal ending for the Wild, but for New Jersey, the appeal is clear.
Silayev is the biggest swing in the package. He has top-pairing upside, and if he reaches it, he could become a star down the line. But Hughes is already one of the NHL’s best defensemen right now, and that difference matters.
Mercer would also be part of the equation, though he’s been in trade rumors for what feels like forever. At 24, he has long been viewed as a player whose name could surface in a bigger move, and this would fit that pattern.
Command, the Devils’ first-round pick this year, adds another layer of upside. He’s a solid center with the kind of long-term projection that could eventually put him in a top-six role, though that remains a question mark.
The pick itself would be standard trade fare. New Jersey has two first-rounders in 2027, including the Vegas Golden Knights’ selection it acquired in the Simon Nemec trade, so it could use that asset to complete the deal.
If something like this came together, the Devils would get Hughes at a price that looks far lighter than what most would expect. And for Guerin and the Wild, it would offer a chance to salvage the situation, even if the backlash from fans would still be part of the package.
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