‘I don’t know what I’m going to do’: Wild GM Bill Guerin sheds light on Hughes future
The future of the Minnesota Wild blueline and Quinn Hughes’ next contract remains as foggy as ever, after general manager Bill Guerin made comments on local radio regarding the dynamic defenseman’s soon-to-expire contract.
“There’s nothing to talk about right now,” Guerin said. “What am I going to do, say ‘Please, please, please?”
The questions come less than four days after Hughes and the Wild returned to Vancouver for the first time since he joined the Wild in a blockbuster trade from the Canucks last December.
In the 4-2 win, Canucks fans chanted “he’s not signing,” a pointed sign towards Hughes’ stated desire to joining his brothers Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes at some point in his NHL career, whether with the New Jersey Devils or elsewhere.
Should Quinn Hughes not come to a decision, he could potentially walk away from the Wild at the end of the season, putting Guerin and his management team in an awkward spot defined by the March 1 NHL Trade Deadline.
“I haven’t really decided, at some point in time I’ll have to try to figure things out and see what’s best for the team. I know one thing’s for sure: having Quinn on our team is what’s best for the team,” Guerin added on the hypothetical should Hughes remain without a decision.
“I’ll be completely honest with you, I don’t know. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know what I’m going to do. There’s no date. What we’re doing right now is focusing on our team and trying to win hockey games. That’s really it. I think some people want to make this more complicated than it really is — being the media. And it’s not that complicated.”
This season, Hughes has three goals and 15 assists for 18 points in 14 games, including a goal and assist against the Canucks. It’s clear the Wild are a better team with him in the lineup, but his commitment to the future will define the conversation until a decision is made, likely bringing more animosity toward him when the Wild return to Vancouver for the second time this season on Nov. 21.
