Wild Closing in on Massive Extension With Their Biggest Star
· Yahoo Sports
The Minnesota Wild have been one of the National Hockey League’s most active teams in recent times, and with a core group made up of some of the most talented players in the sport, optimism continues to grow for the organization moving forward.
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Thus far in the summer of 2026, the team have been looking for an upgrade down the middle, with rumors surrounding Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin continuing as they look to add the missing piece to a potential Stanley Cup team. Now, the team are targeting an extension with one of their most important pieces, and according to reports, it’s going to cost them a lot of money moving forward.
Quinn Hughes set to Sign Massive Extension
GettyQuinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild.
Last season, the Wild gave up a haul that included Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium and Liam Ohgren to land then Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes, and immediately, the move paid off in a big way. In his first season with Minnesota, Hughes posted 5 goals and 53 points in 48 games with the Wild, and while the team couldn’t get past the Colorado Avalanche in the second round, they clearly took a huge step forward after failing to live up to expectations in recent years.
However, Hughes is set to become a free agent following the 2026/27 season, and given all of the speculation around the New Jersey Devils, the home of his brothers Jack and Luke, the Wild are hoping to lock him down to a long-term deal. That’s going to cost them in a big way, as NHL Insider David Pagnotta has now reported on the Hello Hockey show that the deal will come in around the $17 million mark per season, if not more.
“Quinn Hughes’ extension…they’re getting there; around 17 [million AAV] if not higher.”
The term on the deal would be unclear, but with the team looking for long-term, sustained success, it’s likely that Bill Guerin would be pushing for at least a four-year deal with the 26-year-old star, if not longer.
Should Quinn Hughes be the NHL’s Highest Paid Defenseman?
From the moment he stepped foot in the NHL, Quinn Hughes made it clear that he’s on another level, as he has now tallied 66 goals and 485 points in just 507 games played, and in that time, the only other blue liner close to him has been Avalanche superstar Cale Makar.
Makar will also be a free agent after the 2026/27 season, and while he may be looking at his options beyond Colorado, if Minnesota are to make a genuine Stanley Cup push, they need Hughes in their lineup long-term. Paying him $17 million a season or more is the obvious move, but given that Kirill Kaprizov is also getting paid that much, giving two players a combined $34 million isn’t going to make building a Stanley Cup contender any easier for the Wild.
Ultimately though, Hughes has proven time and time again that he’s more than worth that type of money, so while no deal appears to be imminent, whenever an announcement does come through, don’t be shocked to see Hughes as the new highest paid defenseman in the history of the National Hockey League.
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