The Minnesota Wild entered the offseason with high expectations after winning their first playoff series in more than a decade. But their run ended fast after a five-game loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Now, GM Bill Guerin and the front office have one main goal, and that is to keep star defenseman Quinn Hughes in Minnesota.

NHL insider Nick Kypreos from Sportsnet recently said the Wild are prepared to give Quinn Hughes one of the biggest contracts in history to keep him long-term. Kypreos added that Minnesota wants to make Hughes as happy as they did with Kirill Kaprizov after giving him a $17 million contract last year.

"The Wild are prepared to make him a big offer and are more than willing to make him as happy as they did with Kirill Kaprizov last year, when they signed him to a $17 million contract," Kypreos wrote in a post on X.

Hughes can start negotiating a new contract on July 1. Many people around the NHL believe his next deal could be worth more than $16 million per year, and some think it could even reach $18 million as salaries continue rising.

The Minnesota Wild look ready to spend big to keep him. Hughes recently said he likes playing in Minnesota and is open to signing an extension. GM Bill Guerin also said he wants Hughes to remain the face of the franchise.

But despite the positive talks, Kypreos also mentioned one possible concern that could worry Wild fans.

Quinn Hughes's family reunion rumors may still create problems for Minnesota

Quinn Hughes has said good things publicly about the Minnesota Wild, but Nick Kypreos noted that league insiders still think his long-term goal is to play with his brothers, Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes.

“There is no question that Hughes is saying all the right things publicly,” Kypreos wrote. “But, as one source told me, we can’t forget why he left Vancouver in the first place.”

Kypreos also mentioned that former Vancouver Canucks president Jim Rutherford once said Quinn Hughes has a dream of playing with his brothers on the New Jersey Devils.

Because of this, Minnesota may face a tough choice if contract talks do not work out before Hughes becomes a free agent in 2027. Hughes is currently in the final year of a six-year, $47.1 million contract with an Average Annual Value (AAV) of $7.85 million.

Nick Kypreos even suggested a possible trade idea involving Hughes and Nico Hischier if contract talks ever reach that point, pointing out that the Minnesota Wild still needs a top center.

For now, Minnesota’s ideal result is to sign Hughes to a huge long-term extension and keep him as the main star of the franchise for many years.

Let’s see how things work out. What do you think? Will Hughes sign an extension? Comment your prediction below.

Read more at NHL Fan Central.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Ankita Yadav