The Minnesota Wild talk around Jack Hughes has been wild in its own right, but the reality is simple: New Jersey is not moving him. Hughes is the Devils’ star, the kind of player who rises when the stage gets bigger, and there’s nothing in the reporting to suggest he wants out of Jersey. He has four years left on his contract and a 10-team no-trade clause, which only adds to how unrealistic these Minnesota proposals sound.
That’s why the more interesting exercise is figuring out which clubs could outbid the Wild without breaking a sweat. If New Jersey ever listened, there would be no shortage of teams ready to go well past Minnesota’s level.
Montreal sits near the top of that list. The Canadiens could sell themselves as a place where Hughes fits immediately, especially with Nick Suzuki already in the middle and one of Hughes’ best friends on the roster.
He grew up in Toronto because his dad worked for the Toronto Maple Leafs, so Canada would not be some foreign leap. Montreal also has the kind of assets that make a monster deal possible.
Ivan Demidov and Michael Hage could be part of the conversation, along with picks, prospects, and useful NHL pieces such as Alex Newhook or Kaiden Guhle. Jakub Dobes could even be part of the equation, since Montreal could afford to move a goalie with Jacob Fowler there.
However it gets built, the Canadiens could easily crush Minnesota’s offer.
Philadelphia would be another aggressive player. The idea of Hughes landing across the Delaware River would sting Devils fans, but the Flyers have the kind of young talent that would get New Jersey’s attention.
Porter Martone would almost certainly have to be in the package, and Matvei Michkov would likely be included too. That alone would be a massive start for a team that just signed Nico Hischier to an extension and would want to stay competitive rather than tear everything down.
Add a first-round pick or two, and there’s a path to a deal. The article even sketches out what a wildly different Devils lineup could look like if they used the return to chase Dylan Larkin from Detroit.
San Jose is another team that could go higher. A future with Macklin Celebrini and Jack Hughes down the middle would be the kind of setup that changes a franchise’s timeline in a hurry.
To get there, the Sharks would have to send serious pieces from multiple spots, with Michael Misa standing out as the biggest chip. Nico Daws could be part of a goalie swap involving Yaroslav Askarov, too.
The Sharks have already signaled they want to take a step forward after bringing in Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse, and Hughes would be the true game-changer in that push.
Dallas belongs in the conversation as well. The Stars could attack this from a different angle by using their center depth, with Roope Hintz or Wyatt Johnston as the kind of centerpiece New Jersey would have to consider.
Jason Robertson could also be part of a bigger package. Dallas is in win-now mode, and the Texas tax situation would make the money side appealing for Hughes.
At the same time, a Robertson extension would complicate the picture, which is part of what makes this a fascinating but messy fit.
Then there’s Anaheim, which might be the most intriguing long shot if the Ducks decided they wanted to reshape the league. The idea here is a Hughes-for-Cutter Gauthier swap, though the source makes clear that more would likely be needed to balance things out.
Roger McQueen could be added, along with a roster player, to give New Jersey more in return. For Anaheim, Hughes would be the kind of star that raises the ceiling in the Pacific Division.
For New Jersey, it would at least be a far more serious return than the kind of package Minnesota is being linked to.
None of these ideas are especially appealing if you actually want to keep Jack Hughes in New Jersey. But if the Devils ever did entertain a move, these are the kinds of teams that could beat Minnesota’s best shot without much trouble.
Hughes is too valuable for a light package. If he were ever on the market, the Devils would have to be treated like they’re holding one of the NHL’s most prized assets.
In Other News...
Devils Fans Finally Have Their First Look At The 2026-27 Roster
The wait for a first real glimpse of the 2026-27 Devils is almost over, with preseason action set to begin Sunday, Sept. 20. Because the NHLs new 84-game regular season has shortened the tune-up slate, New Jersey will have just four preseason games to sort through roles, evaluate young players and get the roster moving in the right direction before the games count.
Before that, though, fans will get an earlier look in a pair of prospect scrimmages against the Islanders, with a home date on Sept. 13 and a road date on Sept. 15. Tickets are already on sale for the Islanders home game, while details for the Devils home scrimmage have not yet been announced, leaving local fans waiting on one more bit of offseason housekeeping before the new group hits the ice. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Goalie Shakeup Leaves Utica With A Decision To Make
The Devils reshaped goaltending picture has ripple effects all the way down to Utica, where the Comets are preparing to move Jakub Mlek into the starting role. New Jersey has already reworked its NHL netminding group by trading Jacob Markstrom and leaning on Nico Daws, David Rittich and Jake Allen, so the organizations depth chart now looks different at every level.
That leaves the Comets with a thinner safety net behind Mlek, and it is the kind of problem the Devils may want to address before it becomes a bigger one. One possible answer is Philip Svedebck, a 24-year-old finishing his college career and set to become an unrestricted free agent, giving New Jersey a chance to add another option to the AHL mix as it tries to steady the pipeline. [Read more 🡒]
Quinn Hughes Just Gave Devils Fans A Reason To Keep Hoping
Quinn Hughes is suddenly back at the center of one of the leagues most intriguing what-ifs, and Devils fans have plenty of reason to follow every twist. Insider Elliotte Friedman has suggested the defenseman could land a three-year contract in the neighborhood of $18 million annually, a number that keeps the market conversation very much alive while also leaving open the possibility that family ties could matter if the path ever points toward New Jersey.
For now, the real pressure seems to be sitting with the Minnesota Wild, who are expected to keep paying up in the short term if they want to hold onto him. Hughes side is clearly working the leverage, and whether that is meant to squeeze out a better number or set up a different destination, the situation still has enough moving parts to keep Devils watchers hoping the door stays cracked open. [Read more 🡒]