The Minnesota Wild would surely like to have Quinn Hughes locked up long term before training camp opens, but the superstar defenseman doesn't appear to share the same sense of urgency.
"This is going to be done whenever I feel like it needs to be done," Hughes said Wednesday, per NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "I don't feel backed up against a wall. I'm very thoughtful. I want to make sure I'm taking my time on everything and make sure I'm making a decision that is going to be good for everyone. That's kind of where my head has been at."
Eligible to sign an extension since July 1, Hughes is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the upcoming season. He further explained why negotiations have been slow-moving, noting his desire to focus on the offseason.
"We haven't had that many conversations just because of how I wanted my summer to go in terms of being fresh and resetting and enjoying and training and being around friends and family," Hughes said. "As we get going here, I'm sure it'll heat up, but I don't feel backed up against a wall where I have to sign before camp."
Pressure on the Wild to lock up Hughes was further amplified in late August when Cale Makar inked an eight-year extension with the Colorado Avalanche, setting an NHL record for a defenseman with a $20.4-million average annual value.
Additionally, speculation about Hughes forcing his way to the New Jersey Devils to play with his brothers, Jack and Luke, continues to run rampant. However, Wild general manager Bill Guerin recently said that the "communication is really good" and that he's unfazed by the outside noise.
Still, Jack reiterated that he'd love to play with his older brother one day.
"Yeah, I think that, you know, we've always wanted to play with each other," Jack said Wednesday. "Winning (Olympic gold with Team USA in Milan) was an unbelievable feat that we could do together, but I don't think (Quinn) is going to sacrifice what's best for him for us to play together. I mean, we'll see. We'll see what he does."
The Wild acquired Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks last season in exchange for Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium, and a first-round pick. Hughes tallied 76 points in 74 games between the two clubs in 2025-26, finishing seventh in Norris Trophy voting. He was a Norris finalist in 2024-25 and won the award in 2023-24.
