Could Guerin Top the Quinn Hughes Trade? Offseason Talk Heats Up

According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, expect the Minnesota Wild to take another massive swing this summer, one that rivals the addition of Quinn Hughes this season. GM Bill Guerin was surprisingly quiet at the trade deadline, but that doesn’t mean he was sitting on his hands, with a huge deal on his radar.

Russo writes, “As Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman joked on his 32 Thoughts podcast Friday, there may as well be a neon sign on the side of Grand Casino Arena with the words, “Come here, Auston. Quinn is waiting for you.” These comments come after Guerin was a podcast guest and raved about Matthews and his impact on the Team USA Olympic gold. Some thought Guerin teetered a fine line of tampering, while others thought it signaled the Wild GM would eye Matthews if and when he shook loose from Toronto.

Russo then added, “To be clear, Friedman was joking. But the reality is there’s a reason — and a good one — that Guerin didn’t blow the Wild’s remaining potential trade assets at this year’s deadline for B players. He has every intention this offseason or next season of trying to pull off a deal for another A-plus like Quinn Hughes.”

Russo named several players who could be on Guerin’s radar. Obviously, he mentioned Matthews. Beyond that, he brought up Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas, and members of the New Jersey Devils, including Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier.

What Will the Wild Use to Acquire This Game-Changer?

Russo notes that the Wild were smart this season and at the deadline. They didn’t move every major asset to land Hughes and other pieces. “Because Guerin remained patient at the trade deadline, he now has multiple assets he can use for big-game hunting on the market in the summer, including [Jesper] Wallstedt, Danila Yurov, Charlie Stramel, Adam Benak and the team’s 2027 first-round pick.”

The fact that the Wild weren’t incredibly active suggests there’s a longer-term plan in the works. “You know me, I don’t sit on the sidelines,” Guerin said recently.

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