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  • Could the Wild Be In On Quinn Hughes Sweepstakes?

    Image courtesy of © Bob Frid-Imagn Images
    Thomas Williams

    By Thomas Williams -

    It seems like a foregone conclusion that the Vancouver Canucks are going to trade world-class defenseman Quinn Hughes at some point and possibly very soon. So, we just have to ask: Are the Minnesota Wild a team that should be in on this deal?

    Whenever there is a chance to possibly get one of the best defensemen of his generation and a talent that is hardly ever even talked about in trade discussions, you have to at least wonder. Regardless of need or aspiration for this particular season, bringing in a player on Hughes's level is a no-brainer for just about every single team.

    But, does it make sense for the Wild?

    First, you have to think about the positional need. While Jonas Brodin is having a stellar bounceback season, it isn't a guarantee that he can do this for much longer; and then Jake Middleton and rookie Zeev Buium make up the rest of Minnesota's left side. Hughes would instantly make it so much better (duh, of course) but there isn't this desperation that some other teams like the Detroit Red Wings or Philadelphia Flyers might have to get a top blueliner.

    And the elephant in the room is that he is most likely going to sign with the New Jersey Devils to play with his brothers when he hits free agency in 2027. Whatever team does trade for him this season will have no guarantee that he'll stay long-term -- and that doesn't really gel with what the Wild are doing. Minnesota is building this team for the long haul and doing a win-now move like that doesn't really work.

    Throw in the likelihood that they're looking for a center or top prospect -- so that means getting rid of Marco Rossi or Zeev Buium for 18 months of Hughes -- and that all reports say that he wants to be traded to the Eastern Conference, the possibility of the elite defender coming to Minnesota is slim.

    Basically, while it would be nice to think about the Wild just getting Hughes and making it work in a live-fast die-young sort of video game-esque fashion; it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense.

    That's Wild

    • Matt Boldy is getting his flowers for being a top-end offensive winger while being a go-to man on the penalty kill. [StarTribune]
    • Why isn't star rookie defenseman Zeev Buium quarterbacking the Wild's power play more often? [Hockey Wilderness]

    Off the trail...

    • Connor Bedard is continuing his dominant season as the Chicago Blackhawks blanked the New York Rangers. [TheScore]
    • NHL Trade Tiers: What players could be on the move this season? [ESPN]
    • The NHL is severely disappointed that the rink in Milan for the Olympics is not yet done. It's drama only hockey would have. [CBC]
    By Thomas Williams  

    Think you could write a story like this? Hockey Wilderness wants you to develop your voice, find an audience, and we'll pay you to do it. Just fill out this form.

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    OldDutchChip
    25 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

    This team will not be successful in going skill over fit. Something is missing on our PP, but it isn't skill. It's like some guys are being held back with their skill to make sure they're true to a "system." The PP is always about skill, not the system. This is where the players need to be unleashed, just so long as they're on the same page.

    We essentially play a 1 minute PP because we can’t set up

    it was eye opening how MJ got into the zone with ease! 

    Quinn Hughes would bring that to PP1

    He cab also unleash his skills more frequently than timid Zuccy and Zeev

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    mnfaninnc
    1 minute ago, OldDutchChip said:

    He cab also unleash his skills more frequently than timid Zuccy and Zeev

    This is what I worry about. I think Zeev has more to his game than he's being let do. My confidence in this coaching staff is that Hynes would do the same thing to Hughes...and then wonder why he isn't putting up 80 pts. a season. 

    Just in looking at the body types, it appears that Zeev fits right in the middle of Quinn and Luke. Quinn seems to be a dynamo offensively, but not much defensively, and Luke appears to have far more defensive upside but still puts up points in the high 40s. 

    Zeev's size fits right in the middle of the 2, and he looks dynamic AND defensively sound (at least with that potential). 

    I would argue that Kaprizov and Boldy have similar time left, Boldy maybe more like 8 years of peak play. Quinn is 26 and fits in perfectly with Boldy's age. But I'd also argue that Zeev will be that good within 2 years and far cheaper. He's got the bulk to hold up in his own end, yet still the offensive creativity to put up 50-60 pts. on offense, especially if teamed with Faber. 

    I haven't watched Quinn much, but to me, he seems like he is more towards the Addison defense size than toward the Faber type of defense, and I do feel like he'll make spectacular plays, but also be walked defensively. Plus, with that size, there is an injury factor possible. 

    Of course all of these arguments are probably useless in the end, as I bet he's headed to NJ to play with his brothers. I'll bet having a Hughes pairing on D will be very interesting.

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    OldDutchChip
    1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

    This is what I worry about. I think Zeev has more to his game than he's being let do. My confidence in this coaching staff is that Hynes would do the same thing to Hughes...and then wonder why he isn't putting up 80 pts. a season. 

    Just in looking at the body types, it appears that Zeev fits right in the middle of Quinn and Luke. Quinn seems to be a dynamo offensively, but not much defensively, and Luke appears to have far more defensive upside but still puts up points in the high 40s. 

    Zeev's size fits right in the middle of the 2, and he looks dynamic AND defensively sound (at least with that potential). 

    I would argue that Kaprizov and Boldy have similar time left, Boldy maybe more like 8 years of peak play. Quinn is 26 and fits in perfectly with Boldy's age. But I'd also argue that Zeev will be that good within 2 years and far cheaper. He's got the bulk to hold up in his own end, yet still the offensive creativity to put up 50-60 pts. on offense, especially if teamed with Faber. 

    I haven't watched Quinn much, but to me, he seems like he is more towards the Addison defense size than toward the Faber type of defense, and I do feel like he'll make spectacular plays, but also be walked defensively. Plus, with that size, there is an injury factor possible. 

    Of course all of these arguments are probably useless in the end, as I bet he's headed to NJ to play with his brothers. I'll bet having a Hughes pairing on D will be very interesting.

    I would argue that Kaprizov and Boldy have similar time left, Boldy maybe more like 8 years of peak play. Quinn is 26 and fits in perfectly with Boldy's age. But I'd also argue that Zeev will be that good within 2 years and far cheaper. i am not sure how you can claim that. Quinn has a floor of a point per game, Norris winner - top 2 defenseman in the league. To say in two years Zeev is that .... that's likely a miracle. Those kind of players are rare. Zeev can become another Hughes or Makar but also can fail to reach that high. And another big point is that it takes that TWO years. we should maximize Kap and Boldy time. not punt two years. With current Zeev - Wild cannot win SC. With Hughest they can. 

     

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    ColoradoWildFan
    On 12/11/2025 at 11:54 AM, OldDutchChip said:

    If all it costs us is Buium, Rossi and a first (assuming Hughes ok's an extension) then you have to jump on it. Hughes is about as close to Makar, if not better. He has no one close to what Avs has and still delivers. Doubt that will happen. 

    Well Nostradamus what's next?

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    Mateo3xm
    On 12/11/2025 at 12:54 PM, OldDutchChip said:

    If all it costs us is Buium, Rossi and a first (assuming Hughes ok's an extension) then you have to jump on it. Hughes is about as close to Makar, if not better. He has no one close to what Avs has and still delivers. Doubt that will happen. 

    He’s not better than Makar but he’s probably the second best dmen in the league at his best.

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