Most of Sam Malinski’s closest friends have become Colorado Avalanche fans in recent years, but they’re still Minnesota kids at heart.
That’s why he understands the celebration happening back home. The Minnesota Wild made a seismic trade Friday night, acquiring all-world defenseman Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks.
“They are all pretty excited,” Malinski said. “Minnesota hasn’t made a trade like that in a long time. There is a lot to be excited about there.”
It’s probably the biggest trade in franchise history for the Wild. Minnesota made waves around the NHL before the season began, signing star forward Kirill Kaprizov to the biggest contract in league history, an eight-year pact worth $17 million per season.
The Wild have been a solid team in recent seasons, but adding Hughes could be a game-changer. He won the Norris Trophy two seasons ago, and is the consensus No. 2 defenseman in the league behind Colorado’s Cale Makar. He can add another level of offensive firepower to a club that was already tied for fifth in the league standings as of Saturday morning.
“I think it could be a really good deal for both teams,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “Obviously with Hughes going to Minny, they’re immediately better, right? And they’re already one of the top teams in the league and a really good team in our division right now, so … something we’re going to probably have to deal with at some point. Then I think for Vancouver, under the circumstances, they’re getting some really good young pieces, and could be a really good trade for their future as well.”
Former University of Denver star Zeev Buium is going to Vancouver in the deal, along with young forwards Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren and a first-round pick. The Wild already had a strong defense corps, with Brock Faber, Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon leading the way in front of breakout goaltender Jesper Wallstedt.
But Hughes adds a different dimension. He’s right there with Makar as a one-man offensive engine, both at even strength and on the power play.
There’s been plenty of speculation that Hughes would join his brothers, Jack and Luke, with the New Jersey Devils. Quinn has one more season after this one on his current contract, and will be a potential unrestricted free agent in July 2027.
And just like Makar, whose contract is up at the same time, Hughes will likely command a massive contract. Minnesota is now the only team that can offer him an eight-year deal, and the Wild have some time to try and convince him to stay in the Twin Cities.
“I guess it’s still early,” Avs forward and New Jersey native Ross Colton said. “Who knows what could happen in a year or two. That was pretty crazy. He’s a great player, and they gave up a lot to get him. I guess that makes this division even more challenging than it already is.”
The top of the Central Division was the best in the NHL last year, with the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars and the Avs all among the top Stanley Cup contenders. That led to a titanic first-round series between the Avs and Stars because of the NHL’s playoff format.
Colorado, Dallas and Minnesota are all among the top eight in the league standings right now, and that’s before Hughes joins the Wild. It’s already likely that it will lead to another huge first-round series between two of the best teams in the NHL, and quite possibly the top two teams in the entire league meeting in the second round.
That makes winning the division, and avoiding a brutal one-two punch to just reach the second half of the tournament so important.
“That’s what makes this format stupid in my opinion,” Colton said. “I’ve always like (seeding teams) 1-8 better. I think it made getting first a little more valuable. But that’s out of our control.”
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