Wild have crucial Quinn Hughes contract advantage after Canucks trade

The Minnesota Wild and Vancouver Canucks completed a blockbuster trade on Friday night. Minnesota acquired superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes from Vancouver in a deal that will be discussed at length for some time. Hughes, a free agent in 2027, did not immediately agree to a contract with his new team.

To be fair, this was sort of expected. Hughes cannot actually sign a contract until July 1, according to the rules in the CBA. However, the two sides could have hashed out a sort of handshake agreement that could become reality when the new league year begins. This did not happen, but Minnesota does gain an advantage through this trade.

“(The Wild) can’t extend Quinn Hughes until July 1, but they’ve got a great tool in their back pocket to get it done: They’ll be the only team who can sign him for 8 years with a front-loaded structure including unlimited signing bonuses, before the CBA rules change Sept. 15,” NHL insider Chris Johnston pointed out on Friday night.

Hughes is a top-two defenseman in the NHL at this time. However, his future with the Canucks was called into question this year. Vancouver fell well short of their expectations, and Hughes’s body language caused some concern among fans and the team.

The former seventh-overall pick established himself as the best defenseman in Vancouver history. He finished his tenure as the franchise leader in points (432). He is one of two defensemen with more than 400 points as a Canuck, joining Alexander Edler.

Hughes now joins a Wild team sitting third in the Central Division. Rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt is playing at a high level, and Kirill Kaprizov is a bonafide superstar. Minnesota is going all in with this deal. Only time will tell if Hughes can take his new team to the Stanley Cup.

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