Quinn Hughes to continue contract discussions with Wild

The Minnesota Wild will start the 2026-27 season with the second-largest contract in the league, and it’s not Quinn Hughes. Kirill Kaprizov will make $17 million for each of the next eight seasons, but they still need to give Hughes a new contract. According to The Athletic’s Michael Russo, the Wild and Hughes are set to re-start contract negotiations.

“Believe Bill Guerin will be meeting with Quinn Hughes and his camp in Michigan today/this week. As we’ve long reported, Wild want to go 5-8 years (7-year max term after Sept. 16 in new CBA). 3-year extension still makes most sense for Quinn so he can align with Jack’s deal in NJ,” Russo reported.

The length of Hughes’ new deal is the most fascinating aspect of these negotiations. For months, reporters like Russo and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman have pinned it as a three-year deal. That would make Quinn and Jack Hughes free agents in the same season.

The Wild traded three top prospects and a first-round pick to the Vancouver Canucks for Hughes back in December. They should want to keep him in Minnesota for his entire career after paying up for him, but that may not be what the defenseman wants.

If Quinn and Jack want to play together, the Devils and the Wild become the obvious candidates. But with Kaprizov’s contract and the massive salary Quinn will command, Minnesota may not be able to fit in both Hughes brothers. Plus, Luke Hughes is signed long-term in New Jersey.

Bill Guerin knows what magic can happen when the Hughes brothers are together. He was the GM of Team USA, which won the gold medal on the power of overtime goals from both Quinn and Jack. Will this contract allow the Hughes brothers to play together one day? Or will Quinn prioritize winning a Stanley Cup in Minnesota over that?