The Plot Thickens on Quinn Hughes’ Contract Talks With Wild

Following Wednesday’s media tour in Las Vegas, there were several takeaways from players in attendance about some of the biggest storylines in the NHL. Among them was the latest on Quinn Hughes and his negotiations with the Minnesota Wild. Unafraid to tell it like it is, Hughes’ comments didn’t sugarcoat where he’s at and what he’s thinking about. He made it clear that his next contract will happen on his own schedule — not anyone else’s.

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Hughes is entering the final season of his six-year, $47.1 million deal. The Wild are trying to get him extended to a new deal, but even though training camp is right around the corner, nothing is done. It almost feels like nothing is close, which has Minnesota fans concerned. Still, Hughes pushed back on any sense of urgency. “This is going to be done whenever I feel like it needs to be done,” he said. “I don’t feel backed up against a wall.”

Related: “Whenever I Feel Like It”: Hughes’ Chilling Quote Leaves Wild With No Answers

He acknowledged that conversations with Wild general manager Bill Guerin have been limited so far, but he’s not worried about that either. “We haven’t had that many conversations just because of how I wanted my summer to go in terms of being fresh and resetting,” Hughes said, adding that talks are likely to pick up as camp approaches. Still, he sounded confident about where things are headed, saying of his talks with Guerin, “I’m sure we’re gonna work it out.”

But, for fans and analysts who are eager to see what comes of these talks, Hughes isn’t thinking about anyone but himself. “It is my life. I’m not going to do anything to make someone else happy. Obviously, I like to think of myself as a thoughtful person … I think that everyone’s got to do whatever makes them happy and where the chips fall, they fall.”

Hughes declined to detail what he’s seeking financially, a question that carries extra weight after Cale Makar reset the market for elite defensemen with an eight-year, $163.2 million extension last month. “It’s between me and Bill, and ultimately we’ll figure it out and you guys will find out at that point,” Hughes said. “It’s not going to weigh over me personally,” Hughes said. “I mean, I’m excited to play hockey. I think if I can stay healthy I’m going to have my best season. I feel great. So I don’t have it weighing over me, I don’t think.”

He was direct about how he’s approaching the decision overall. “At the end of the day, I got to do what’s best for myself,” Hughes said. “I think I’ve earned that right. You play 7, 8 years to get to UFA and decide what you want to do.”

So what does this all mean? It sounds like Hughes is confident he’ll figure things out with the Wild and get a deal done. At the same time, he’s not interested in anyone else’s opinions on his situation, and he’s not thinking about anyone but himself. That means he could bolt, wait, or sign a deal that isn’t team-friendly at all.

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