There’s little doubt the Minnesota Wild made a massive strike by landing Quinn Hughes last Friday. The deal made sense for the Wild, as they look to capitalize on the prime years of superstar Kirill Kaprizov.
It took an enormous payday to keep the Russian star in the fold. But having Kaprizov wasn’t going to be enough. The Wild needed to find another crucial piece to push them past the Central Division heavyweights like the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche.
That piece was Quinn Hughes. While the Wild looked bold in making the trade, they also took a substantial gamble. They sent away four potentially franchise-altering pieces for a player who may not even re-sign with them once his contract is up.
Indeed, the Wild bet the farm on Hughes. That’s why the clock is ticking on the club. It has two seasons to make a significant Stanley Cup run. Otherwise, it could be curtains for Hughes in Minnesota when he hits free agency in the summer of 2027.
But it’s not like the Wild didn’t know. The club was fully aware that Hughes came with zero guarantee of an extension. Pat Brisson, Hughes’ agent, reportedly let everyone know Hughes wasn’t making any promises following a trade.
So, the Wild went all-in without any inkling of whether they could keep Hughes long term. If he ends up re-signing, this entire conversation will be moot. But if he walks in 2027, the Wild will end up with egg on their face. They’ll end up with very expensive egg on their face.
Does Hughes Make Wild a Stanley Cup Contender?
So, having Quinn Hughes in the fold brings up an interesting question: Are the Minnesota Wild Stanley Cup contenders?
The short answer is no. The Wild haven’t proven they have the talent to make a deep playoff run. Last season, the Vegas Golden Knights bounced the Wild in six games. The series was somewhat challenging for Vegas, but the Wild just couldn’t get past a superior Golden Knights squad.
This season, the Wild traded away their top-line center in Marco Rossi. The club has enough confidence in Danila Yurov to run the show. As such, would a legitimate Stanley Cup contender ride with a 21-year-old with eight points in 25 games as its top-line center?
The long answer is: It depends. If the Wild can continue to get fantastic goaltending and solid defense, they might have a chance. Minnesota has gotten outstanding performances from Jesper Wallstedt and Filip Gustavsson.
Still, the question will be whether they’ll generate enough scoring.
Minnesota May Not Be Done Adding
That last point brings the conversation to a harsh truth. The Wild will need to add more scoring at some point. That’s why the club may not be done adding. It’s tough to envision a top-six forward heading to Minnesota. But at least a serviceable veteran scorer could be in their sights.
GM Bill Guerin will be looking to find someone like Vladimir Tarasenko, someone who can provide decent scoring without costing much. It won’t be easy, but now that the Wild are all-in, they have no choice. They crossed a powerful line by winning the Quinn Hughes sweepstakes.
Now, the team must go for it. The clock is ticking.
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