Quinn Hughes' spectacular play putting Wild in difficult position

Quinn Hughes continues to be a difference-maker for a Minnesota Wild team that is looking like a potential Stanley Cup contender in the NHL's Western Conference.

He recorded another assist in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, increasing his current point streak to 10 consecutive games. It is the third 10-game point streak of his career.

He's simply a man on a mission right now, and he is one of the driving forces behind a Wild team that is now 14-3-4 and in first place in the NHL's Central Division. 

Whether he wants to admit it or not, that has to be a growing headache for general manager Bill Guerin.

Quinn Hughes strong play continues to make Bill Guerin's job very difficult

The winning is not the problem. That's great. That's what this team has been built to do, with Hughes being a key a part of that.

Hughes' play is also, obviously, not the problem. His 10-game point streak makes him one of just nine defensemen in NHL history to have at least three 10-game point streaks in a career. When he is on the ice during 5-on-5 play, the Wild are outscoring teams by a 24-13 margin. He has been everything he was advertised to be when they acquired him from the Vancouver Canucks.

The problem remains the reality that Hughes is an unrestricted free agent after this season, and the speculation continues to be that he is going to bolt in free agency to join his brothers (Luke Hughes and Jack Hughes) with the New Jersey Devils. 

That potential creates a dilemma for Guerin. Does he keep Hughes, objectively one of his best players, and one of the best players in the league, to take one more run at a championship with him and take the risk that he leaves for nothing after the season? 

Or does he potentially move him, try to recoup some assets and get something to show for him? It would not mean the Wild are giving up on this season, but it would send a tough message to the locker room and fans. 

Guerin has remained adamant he is not giving the situation much thought at the moment and is just trying to focus on the short term. He made that point again on Thursday before their game.

Via Sportsnet's Frank Seravalli:

“I’m not putting deadlines on anybody, saying by this date or that date,” Guerin said. “I’m just kind of living day by day. At some point, we’re going to need to have some kind of discussion. But everyone knows where everyone stands. He knows. He’s got all of the information he needs. He knows how much we like him and how much we want to keep him. He’s just got to figure out what he wants to do.”

He also acknowledged there are not really any negotiations going on, and that he and Quinn (or his agent) do not really talk about it. 

All of this is very similar to what Guerin said a few weeks ago when he appeared on Minnesota radio. 

Aside from the decision that he will have to make and the impact it could have on their season, the constant questions both he and Hughes are going to get on the subject are will become some sort of a distraction over the next few months. It's one of the biggest storylines in the NHL right now, and it is not going away.

Minnesota paid a steep price to get Hughes a year ago, sending center Marco Rossi, top defense prospect Zeev Buium, forward prospect Liam Ohgren and a first-round pick to the Canucks. The thinking was that they would not only have two potential playoff runs with Hughes, but could also convince him to re-sign. So far, that has not happened. The further we get into this, the less likely that becomes. That only puts more pressure on Guerin to make the right decision. Or what he believes is the right decision.