The Minnesota Wild got a much-needed jolt Saturday night, snapping a three-game skid with a thrilling 5-4 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres. In a game that felt like it could tilt either way, Minnesota leaned on key performances from some of their biggest names-and one of their newest.
Quinn Hughes and Vladimir Tarasenko each tallied a goal and an assist, while Kirill Kaprizov played the role of setup man to perfection, dishing out three assists. The win pushed the Wild to 27-13-9 on the season and gave them a shot of momentum at a time when they needed it most.
But the story of the night wasn’t just the scoreboard-it was how Quinn Hughes continues to evolve in his new surroundings. Since arriving in Minnesota via a December trade from Vancouver, Hughes has steadily found his groove.
And on Saturday, he looked like a player fully in sync with his new team. Confident with the puck, aggressive in transition, and composed in the defensive zone-this version of Hughes is starting to look like the one Wild fans were hoping for.
After the game, Hughes spoke openly about how comfortable he’s feeling in his new role.
“I feel like I’ve been getting more grade A chances than I’ve ever gotten in my life,” he said. “I feel like I can pretty much walk out of every game with a goal.”
That kind of swagger is exactly what Minnesota has been missing from the blue line-a defenseman who not only moves the puck but believes he can tilt the ice every night. It’s the kind of confidence that can be contagious in a locker room.
But not everyone took his comments the same way.
Back in Vancouver, where Hughes once wore the "C" and was seen as the cornerstone of the franchise, the reaction was… less than warm. While Hughes was clearly speaking about his current form and comfort level, some Canucks fans interpreted his words as a veiled shot at his former team. And with Vancouver mired in a 10-game losing streak, emotions are running high.
Social media lit up with frustration. Some fans questioned his leadership, others mocked his goal total, and a few flat-out called him a quitter. It’s the kind of reaction that comes when a beloved player leaves and the team left behind is struggling to find its footing.
To be clear, Hughes isn’t lighting up the goal column-he has two goals in 17 games with the Wild-but that doesn’t tell the full story. He’s added 16 assists, has three multi-point games, and is playing with a freedom that suggests he’s being used in a way that brings out the best in his game. Saturday’s goal was his first since his Wild debut on December 14, but his impact goes beyond the stat sheet.
Minnesota has given Hughes the green light to be himself-an elite puck-mover who can drive play from the back end. And while that might not always show up in the goal totals, it’s showing up in the way the Wild are playing when he’s on the ice.
As for Vancouver, the frustration is understandable. Losing streaks have a way of magnifying every quote, every highlight, every perceived slight. And when it comes from a former captain who’s finding success elsewhere, it stings a little more.
But for the Wild, the focus is on the now-and right now, Quinn Hughes looks like a key piece of a team with serious aspirations.