NHL insider Chris Johnston is betting on Quinn Hughes ending up in New Jersey, and the reason is hard to miss: Jack and Luke are already there.
On The Chris Johnston Show, Johnston pointed to the family pull around the Devils when asked about Hughes’ future.
“New Jersey Devils. I think the brother talk it's certainly real and then there's a lot of family pressure there or family expectation. I mean, it's just such a unique opportunity staring him right here in the face [...].”
That forecast comes with an important backdrop. Hughes has one year left on his Minnesota contract and can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2027. Minnesota has already opened extension talks and is ready to put a long-term deal on the table.
Still, Hughes hasn’t closed the door on staying put.
He addressed his future earlier this month at the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour and made it clear he isn’t rushing the process.
“This is going to be done whenever I feel like it needs to be done,” Hughes said. “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 there have not been many contract discussions yet because he wanted the offseason to be about training, family, friends and getting a break. He also said he likes working with Hynes and Guerin and enjoys playing with Faber.
“Of course it's a spot I could see myself staying,” he said. “I mean, obviously.”
Hughes joined Minnesota from Vancouver on Dec. 12 and made an immediate impact in the playoffs, finishing with four goals and 11 assists for 15 points in 11 games. He tied for the team lead in postseason scoring and logged 30:57 per game. Minnesota beat Dallas in the first round before falling to Colorado in the second.
In Other News...
Devils Opening Night Roster Includes A Few Immediate Surprises
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Among the more notable additions is Amadeus Lombardi, who is set to make his NHL debut and gives New Jersey another young player to watch right away. The goaltending group also has a new face in Remi Poirier, recently acquired from the Dallas Stars, adding another layer to a roster that already has a few moving parts before the season has even fully gotten started. For the Devils, the opening-night group is less about certainty than it is about how quickly these early roster decisions settle once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Opening Night Roster Leaves One Tough Decision Still Hanging
The Devils have their opening-night group in place, and it comes with the kind of structure that tells you how the front office sees the roster taking shape. New Jersey set its 23-man roster with 14 forwards, six defensemen and three goaltenders, while Nick Bjugstad, Seamus Casey and Johnathan Kovacevic all begin the season on injured reserve. The club also made the unusual choice to carry three goalies, including recent addition Remi Poirier, which gives the lineup a little more depth in net than on the blue line.
What stands out most is what is not there. New Jersey does not have an extra defenseman on the roster, leaving the group thin on the back end as the season begins and putting more weight on the players already dressed. For a team trying to get through October in one piece, that shape of the roster creates an obvious question about how long this configuration can hold and whether a move is coming once the season starts to settle in. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Opening Week Will Test Keefe Before Bigger Questions Get Answered
The Devils 2026-27 season opens with a quick early test, and it comes right away in the first week. Sheldon Keefe gets his first real look at a roster now overseen by new general manager Sunny Mehta, with three games packed into the opening stretch, including division meetings with the Flyers and Islanders.
It is the kind of start that can shape the conversation before October settles in, especially with the goaltending picture still in flux. Jake Allen, Nico Daws and newly acquired Rmi Poirier give Keefe and Mehta a few different options to sort through, and these first games should offer an early read on how the Devils might look once the season gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]