Article: Overpaying For Quinn Hughes Is Impossible

[Tony Abbott]

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[Will D. Ness]

What is more of a gamble:

Zeev becoming a Norris type D or Hughes signing an extension?

We spent a lot of assets on Hughes when Zeev might fill that role for pennies on the dollar in both cap space and with zero capital.  

Also, could we have used that capital to acquire a top line forward?

There is opportunity cost that comes into play here.

With that said... I'm generally psyched to see what Hughes can do on this team... especially as the PP1QB.

[Willy the poor boy]

7 minutes ago, Will D. Ness said:

What is more of a gamble:

Zeev becoming a Norris type D or Hughes signing an extension?

We spent a lot of assets on Hughes when Zeev might fill that role for pennies on the dollar in both cap space and with zero capital.  

Also, could we have used that capital to acquire a top line forward?

There is opportunity cost that comes into play here.

With that said... I'm generally psyched to see what Hughes can do on this team... especially as the PP1QB.

All Fletch has to do is publicly say 'no one will outbid us for Quinn' and we're in like Flynn. Resign all but guaranteed.

[MacGyver]

What will it take to resign Hughes? Makar money whatever that is going to be? Then you got $17M into what could be your third best player on the team behind Hughes and maybe Boldy if he keeps trending. Hughes may make Kaprizov's contract look like you over paid for Kaprizov which I felt is true from the start. 

[Pewterschmidt]

All the prospects and futures Guerin has dealt away for Nyquist, Jiri project™️, brazzo, and now Hughes means the prospect pool/farm will look like the Fletcher era prospect pool for next five years.  Guerin is going all in on the current core + yurov for top 6, Hartman and Gus get dealt for a top 6 forward, and the Stramel’s and Lorenz’s fill out the bottom 6.  Is this group now one top 6 forward away from a deep Cup run?   

[Burnt Toast]

22 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

Makar money

I think you’re right on the $. It will be interesting to see who gets resigned first and for how much. Both are locked up through next year’s season. If QH wants to stay I’m confident the Wild can get the $ to work. I’m mostly just focusing on this year and my expectations are high. 

[Pewterschmidt]

Can we now spend assets on forwards?   It’s been 7 years of flushing picks for D-men.  How about some forwards please

[Pablo]

Players come and go but a Lord Stanley Cup win is forever. 

[Fortis]

IMHO, great deal by BG even if it seems like a gamble now. I wasn’t impressed with Buium’s overall game, so I view the trade as essentially Rossi + 1st round for one of the best players in the league. I don’t think Ohgren will ever excel at the NHL level. 

My question is how do the Wild implement Hughes into the team? In the last 25 years, the Wild have only had success with a suffocating defensive game. This isn’t Hughes’ game. Do the Wild go back to the drawing board and change their entire system mid-season? Our Power Play is atrocious right now…do we plug Hughes in and hope it changes? Do we change strategies? Or do we change coaching staff to support a more offensive system?

Adding Hughes changes the entire identity of this team (if only for 1.5 seasons)

[Pablo]

21 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

All the prospects and futures Guerin has dealt away for Nyquist, Jiri project™️, brazzo, and now Hughes means the prospect pool/farm will look like the Fletcher era prospect pool for next five years.  Guerin is going all in on the current core + yurov for top 6, Hartman and Gus get dealt for a top 6 forward, and the Stramel’s and Lorenz’s fill out the bottom 6.  Is this group now one top 6 forward away from a deep Cup run?   

Yuri is that missing guy but it never hurts to have another. Trust in BG to find one more piece to the Cup winning puzzle!

 

[Pewterschmidt]

3 minutes ago, Pablo said:

Yuri is that missing guy but it never hurts to have another. Trust in BG to find one more piece to the Cup winning puzzle!

 

Who’s Yuri?  I assume you’re not saying yurov gets us over the hump

[OldDutchChip]

Excellent article Tony!

I'll add - our D core is now tops in the league. That is going to be brutal for all opponents once all are acclimated.  Which there's plenty of time for until PO starts.

Faber + Hughes 

Spurge + Midds? 

Brodin + Bogo? 

The addition of Hughes helps keep Spurgy and Brodin fresh and that energy will be something that is unleashed on lesser matchups.

If Faber/QH take on top line - the other lines will be shut down. Spurgy and Brodin should destroy lesser matchups. That would force other team to adjust and split their top lines and that plays into our strength. They won't be able to handle our top two lines. 

Dallas is vulnerable. They are not great at 5v5 (PP dry up at POs)and Seguin (who is still good at his age) and Roope are both injured.

This is the time we finally turn the table on Stars and put them in the rear view mirror. And then take out Avs. 

[goenzoy]

1 hour ago, Willy the poor boy said:

All Fletch

Fletch is long gone. He even manage to destroy Flyers afterwards 

Billy the gambler is on the table now 

Lets just hope Quinn Hughes like Minni in winter and EEK does not get hurt 

[Imyourhuckleberry]

Minnesota Wild PP% as of 12/12/25 is 21.5%, ranking 11th overall.

For the season, the Wild have scored 2.81 goals per game and allowed 2.65 goals per game.

These are the things all be monitoring moving forward to see how they compare with Hughes on the team. If he plays on the PK unit, then I'll certainly look at that as well, but he has less than 16 minutes short-handed over the last 94 games with Vancouver.

I do think Hughes could help the regular season overtime games, but I'll be judging based upon team play in regulation more than OT. Buium is still developing, but I expect him to excel in all phases when he's further along.

I'll add that if the same deal was done including Jiricek rather than Buium, my level of excitement would be astronomically higher.

Edited 3 hours ago by Imyourhuckleberry

[Dango]

23 minutes ago, Fortis said:

 

My question is how do the Wild implement Hughes into the team? In the last 25 years, the Wild have only had success with a suffocating defensive game. This isn’t Hughes’ game. Do the Wild go back to the drawing board and change their entire system mid-season? Our Power Play is atrocious right now…do we plug Hughes in and hope it changes? Do we change strategies? Or do we change coaching staff to support a more offensive system?

Adding Hughes changes the entire identity of this team (if only for 1.5 seasons)

I think Coach has shown a change by putting more offensive guys on the penalty kill , 

[Pablo]

20 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

Who’s Yuri?  I assume you’re not saying yurov gets us over the hump

Yes. Yurov has such a small sample size. We have no idea what he can develop into. This trade may boost him into one of the best C’s ever at his age. Yurov (i) isnt just along for the ride. He might become extra special, extra fast (on a time line) 

[bisopher]

Key question: The Bruins game starts in 30 minutes; is QH in the lineup?

[Willy the poor boy]

13 minutes ago, goenzoy said:

Fletch is long gone. He even manage to destroy Flyers afterwards 

Billy the gambler is on the table now 

Lets just hope Quinn Hughes like Minni in winter and EEK does not get hurt 

Shucks, I said Fletch, I meant Leo...

[Pewterschmidt]

41 minutes ago, Pablo said:

Yuri is that missing guy

Go Home Pablo.  You’re drunk

[NC Beach Bum]

13 minutes ago, bisopher said:

Key question: The Bruins game starts in 30 minutes; is QH in the lineup?

Senators and he isn't playin today will play tomorrow against Bruins

 

[Trade Deadline Hero]

So, here’s a question: Do you think  Billy is done with Quinn or will he try and lure another big fish for real cup run? 

1 hour ago, Pewterschmidt said:

Guerin is going all in on the current core + yurov for top 6, Hartman and Gus get dealt for a top 6 forward, and the Stramel’s and Lorenz’s fill out the bottom 6.  Is this group now one top 6 forward away from a deep Cup run?   So here’s a question: Do you think BG is done with Hughes or will he try and land another big fish to make a deep run 

[Pewterschmidt]

19 minutes ago, Trade Deadline Hero said:

So, here’s a question: Do you think  Billy is done with Quinn or will he try and lure another big fish for real cup run? 

I said in off season that this group is TWO top 6 forwards away from post season relevance.  I’ll say Q satisfies ONE of those two b/c he’s so offensive.  Still need one more

[TCMooch]

Buium will be a great player in the NHL but he will not become a Quinn Hughes. If he does become him then it’s like a 1 in a million chance.

i hate Billy G but this is a great trade. This makes us actual Cup contenders this year and next 

[TCMooch]

I wonder if Billy G tried to get Sherwood thrown into deal as well

[Pewterschmidt]

4 minutes ago, TCMooch said:

Buium will be a great player in the NHL but he will not become a Quinn Hughes. If he does become him then it’s like a 1 in a million chance.

i hate Billy G but this is a great trade. This makes us actual Cup contenders this year and next 

This trade takes this one and done group and makes us cup contenders?  WTF an I missing?