Wild Might Come to Regret Massive Quinn Hughes Trade Decision

NHL Trade Talk highlights analysis from The Athletic's Harman Dayal suggesting the Minnesota Wild might regret trading for Quinn Hughes if they cannot sign him to a contract extension. Hughes has yet to sign a new deal after agent Pat Brisson previously indicated no team was guaranteed an extension. If the Wild are forced to trade Hughes before the deadline as a rental, Dayal notes the return would fall far short of the package Minnesota originally paid.

Minnesota surrendered the equivalent of four first-round draft picks to acquire the star defenseman, but rival teams would likely only offer a first-round pick and a top prospect. The article notes that a quiet offseason—featuring the departures of Mats Zuccarello, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Marcus Johansson—alongside the failure to trade for Dylan Larkin could hinder Minnesota's ability to convince Hughes to commit long term.