Rumor corner: A contract extension coming for Quinn Hughes?

Marc-Olivier Cook
Rumor corner: A contract extension coming for Quinn Hughes?
Credit: Getty Images

Quinn Hughes has enjoyed his time in Minnesota since arriving there.

The defenseman has racked up 34 points (three goals) in 26 games so far with the Wild and has quickly become a very important part of his new team.

He likes the place, too. That said, Joe Smith and Michael Russo—who cover the club's activities for The Athletic— are already talking about a possible contract extension for Hughes in Minnesota.

The journalists are confident that Hughes will sign a new contract with the Wild for the reasons mentioned above.

Again, at the risk of repeating myself… the defenseman has been having a lot of fun lately. And that could encourage him to put down roots in Minnesota for the next few years.

There is an important nuance to bring up here.

Hughes may have mentioned that he likes playing there… but he's not saying outright that he'll be leaving via free agency in the summer of 2027, when his current contract expires.

We know he'd like to play with his brothers, after all. It's the worst-kept secret in the NHL, which is why journalists at The Athletic are wondering if there's a scenario in which Hughes signs a three-year contract extension (until 2030) to coincide with the end of his brother Jack's contract.

In short.

The possibilities are there for Hughes and the Wild. It remains to be seen how it will all play out.

Shane Wright's name is still making headlines 

The Kraken aren't having the best season in the world, but that's okay: in Seattle, they want to improve for the playoffs.

And it's no coincidence that the club was willing to offer Artemi Panarin more than $56 million to bring him over from New York.

But according to David Pagnotta, the Kraken has two other names in its sights: Jordan Kyrou… and Robert Thomas.

And according to Pagnotta, a guy like Shane Wright could make his way to St. Louis if a trade were to happen:

Shane Wright has improved in recent years, but the Kraken are not 100% satisfied with his performance so far.

That's why the idea of sending him elsewhere to get immediate help is currently circulating in Seattle.

Because there's no doubt that the kid has some value on the market. That said, if he's going to be used in a minimal role anyway, why not use him to try to acquire a highly talented player?

That seems to be the thinking in Seattle right now.

Blake Coleman will generate interest 

Blake Coleman is the perfect player for a team looking to improve itsbottom six.

He can score goals, he has a physical style… and he's built to perform in the playoffs. Players like him are worth their weight in gold in the National Hockey League.

And yet, according to David Pagnotta… the chances of him leaving Calgary by March 6 are really, really high.

That doesn't surprise me.

And there could even be a bidding war for the player if several clubs are interested in him, which should happen given that there aren't a thousand players of his style available on the market.

We know that the Canadiens have shown some interest in him.

And we know that Coleman would fill a pretty important need in Montreal: we saw the habs get shaken up a lot in the last NHL playoffs against the Washington Capitals.

Adding Blake Coleman would help a lot in that regard…


Overtime

– Marie-Philip Poulin was injured, but she was able to return to her team's bench after leaving for the locker room.

– What a lineup!

– That's touching.

facebook icon Share twitter icon Tweet linkedin icon Share
Copied!