The Minnesota Wild are still trying to get Quinn Hughes under contract, but the situation sounds anything but simple.
GM Bill Guerin has confirmed that extension talks are ongoing with Hughes and his camp, yet the noise around the negotiation keeps pointing to complications. Hughes is 26 and heading into the final year of his deal, which puts real urgency on Minnesota’s side. The Wild would like to land him on a long-term agreement in the five-to-eight-year range, but there’s chatter that Hughes may be more interested in something shorter.
One of the biggest questions hanging over the talks is whether Hughes wants to line up his next deal with his brother, Jack Hughes, of the New Jersey Devils. If the conversation drags out, New Jersey could become a serious threat to pry him away, and Minnesota may eventually have to think about a trade. For now, though, the clock is ticking, and the longer this goes, the more pressure sits on the Wild to finish the job.
There’s also another layer to the Wild’s situation: they still haven’t added the center they want. That need remains high on their list, and if they can’t solve it, the question becomes whether Hughes is willing to wait on a team that may not be as competitive as it wants to be.
In Edmonton, the Oilers may still be open to roster changes, but don’t expect them to go the professional tryout route in any big way.
A number of notable unsigned names remain out there, including Patrik Laine and Vladimir Tarasenko, but the sense around the Oilers is that they’re unlikely to load up on PTOs this offseason. Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal put it this way: “with only four exhibition games rather than normal eight for Oilers and vets having to play two games minimum I just don’t see many PTO’s if at all. Have to look at prospects too.”
That shorter exhibition slate matters. With fewer chances to evaluate veterans in game action, Edmonton has less incentive to bring in a long list of camp invites when it also needs to sort through its own prospects.
Detroit’s Dylan Larkin situation remains stuck in neutral as well, and the Red Wings’ search for a new general manager is a big reason why.
It has been two months since reports said Larkin requested a trade, but there still hasn’t been much movement toward a resolution. Helene St.
James of The Detroit Free Press reported that the club’s ownership brought in a search firm to help determine who will replace Steve Yzerman. As she wrote:
“A person with knowledge of the Red Wings’ search process told the Free Press that Ilitch hired a search firm to help determine who should replace Steve Yzerman. Yzerman served as Wings general manager from April 19, 2019-July 15, 2026, when it was announced he would transition to a role as a senior advisor.”
Until that GM search is finished, any Larkin trade appears to be on pause. Minnesota had been mentioned as a possible landing spot, but trade talks have reportedly stalled because of Detroit’s asking price. The Red Wings are looking for an established NHL player in return, and Matt Boldy was previously floated as a target - a name Minnesota has no interest in moving.
In Toronto, there’s at least some encouraging news on Auston Matthews.
The Maple Leafs captain has been skating and shooting in Switzerland as he continues recovering from a serious knee injury. Matthews is coming back from a Grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion after surgery months ago, and this latest step suggests he’s making steady progress. The bigger question now is whether he’ll be fully ready when training camp opens.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs May Have Just Avoided A Brutal Blue Line Debate
The Maple Leafs may have sidestepped a conversation that could have gotten uncomfortable in a hurry on the blue line. Toronto has spent plenty of time trying to balance its defense, and the idea of moving Morgan Rielly would have sent a ripple through a group that still leans heavily on him in important situations.
What made the possibility worth watching was Anaheims cap picture, which changed after the Leo Carlsson offer sheet and briefly opened the door to a scenario Toronto fans probably would have had a hard time digesting. A deal never materialized, but the mere fact it could have been on the table shows how quickly one move elsewhere in the league can tug at the edges of a roster debate in Toronto. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Just Added A Wave Of Prospects Worth Watching
The Maple Leafs spent the 2023 cycle adding a fresh layer of young depth to an organization that has been trying to keep its pipeline moving while the big club stays in win-now mode. Fifteen new players under 25 entered the system through the draft and other acquisitions, including one brought in via trade and several signed as free agents, giving the team a mix of established prospects, players with NHL or AHL seasoning, and others still set to develop in college or junior hockey.
It is the kind of group that can be easy to overlook in the short term but matters a lot when a front office is trying to keep options open. Some of these newcomers are already pushing toward pro roles, while others are still a long way from Toronto, but together they give the Leafs a broader range of possible contributors as the organization keeps sorting out who can help next and who might become more than just a name on a prospect list. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Saw This Roster Problem Coming Long Before This Summer
Two years ago, the Maple Leafs were already kicking tires on help for the same sort of roster gaps that have lingered into this summer. According to Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette, Toronto had interest in Canadiens players Arber Xhekaj and Sean Monahan, a sign the club recognized it needed a different blend of size, edge and stability long before the current front office reshaped the roster.
Monahan eventually landed with the Columbus Blue Jackets after being traded in February 2024, while Toronto went in another direction and added other pieces to cover similar needs after a management change. The bigger takeaway is how early the Leafs identified the problem, even if the solutions they ultimately chose came from elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]