The Minnesota Wild’s hot start has brought an extension conversation right back to Quinn Hughes, and the defender didn’t exactly pour cold water on it.
Asked for an update on where things stand, Hughes said, “I’m excited right now. My two feet are planted in Minnesota and you know, something could happen soon.
I’m not really too sure. I’m really enjoying playing here.”
The expectation, if a deal gets done, is a three-year contract carrying a cap hit close to the league maximum. And if Hughes does decide to stay, this sounds like it could be one of those talks that moves fast.
He also addressed the chatter that a move by general manager Bill Guerin, such as adding Dylan Larkin, would push him to re-sign immediately. Hughes pushed back on that idea: “Obviously, I’d love Larks, cause he improves our team, but I love the hockey aspect here. That’s not something where I’m talking to Billy about and would impact anything.”
Out in New York, the Rangers have moved to calm a shaky situation in goal by signing James Reimer to a one-year deal. With Igor Shesterkin out injured, Dylan Garand was given a chance to prove he could handle NHL minutes, and he came out strong. But that run has cooled off quickly, with four losses in the last five games and a few lopsided defeats mixed in.
Garand still looks like he can become an NHL regular, but Reimer gives the Rangers a veteran option who can absorb some of the workload. The 38-year-old was in a similar spot last season, when the Ottawa Senators brought him in on a one-year deal in January in the middle of a brutal 8-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
After that signing, Reimer went 7-4-2 with an .886 save percentage. If he gives New York that kind of steadiness, the Rangers should have a chance most nights, even if he doesn’t offer the same game-stealing upside Shesterkin does.
Meanwhile, Washington is dealing with a different kind of roster crunch. Ivan Miroshnichenko is on the outside looking in, and the Capitals have given him permission to speak with other teams about a possible trade.
Miroshnichenko has been on the radar since before the draft for good reason. He skates well, shoots the puck hard and sees the ice well, and there’s plenty to like in his game. On most other NHL clubs, he would probably be getting a real look in the top nine and producing as a winger.
But the Capitals have an unusual amount of forward depth, with 12 bona fide top-six forwards in the lineup every night. That makes it tough for a young player to break through, even one who has put up strong numbers in the AHL and collected 14 points in 55 NHL games.
According to Elliotte Friedman, Washington is open to moving him, but only for the right return. The team will not waive him to send him back to the AHL, and it is not looking to trade him just to make a deal.
If Miroshnichenko goes, the Capitals want something meaningful in return, whether that’s picks, non-NHL prospects or possibly a defenseman. They do not appear eager to add much to the roster unless the return is a true star.
In Other News...
Capitals Got The Win But Another Problem Didnt Go Away
Alex Tuch came through with a big night in a familiar building, scoring twice to help the Capitals rally for a 4-3 overtime win over the Sabres. Dylan Strome matched him with two goals of his own as Washington dug out of an early hole and found a way to leave with two points despite spending much of the night chasing the game.
For a team trying to steady itself, the result mattered more than the style points, but the same defensive issues that have surfaced before were still there in plain view. Washington got the comeback it needed and the overtime finish it wanted, yet the win did not erase the lingering concern that made the night feel more complicated than the final score suggested. [Read more 🡒]
Capitals Make A Blue Line Move Fans Need To Watch
Fridays waiver wire had a little extra intrigue for teams looking to patch up the back end, and Washington was among the clubs paying close attention. The only two defensemen available were both claimed, with Nashville taking Daemon Hunt from Minnesota and the Capitals bringing in Jack St. Ivany from Winnipeg, keeping each player on an NHL roster and giving Washington another name to sort through on the blue line.
For a Capitals group that is already working without Rasmus Sandin and Vincent Desharnais, any added defense depth is worth watching closely. St. Ivany arrives with a chance to factor into the conversation quickly, and while the weekend brought more waived players into the mix, the first move alone was enough to signal that Washington is still monitoring options for the back end. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Still Stuck Waiting On A Real Mathew Barzal Update
The Capitals are getting some help back up the middle, with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Justin Sourdif set to return against Buffalo after each missed recent games because of illness. Dubois is still on injured reserve, but his return can be handled without any roster move, giving Washington a little more flexibility as it gets bodies back into the lineup.
Elsewhere around the division, the news only adds to the sense of week-to-week uncertainty that seems to follow the injured list. Islanders center Mathew Barzal is still sidelined with knee inflammation and there is no clear timeline for when he might be back, which leaves New York waiting for a more concrete update than the one it has so far. [Read more 🡒]