Quinn Hughes says his two feet are planted in Minnesota, and that's the clearest signal yet the Wild have a real shot at keeping him.
Asked about his contract situation, Hughes didn't dodge. “I'm where I've always been. I'm excited right now.”
Then came the line Wild fans will hang onto. “My two feet are planted here in Minnesota, and you know, something could happen.”
That isn't a signature on an extension. But it's a lot warmer than the “undecided, period” Pierre LeBrun reported earlier this week.
The pull toward New Jersey hasn't gone anywhere. Jack has 12 points, and Luke has three goals.
Then the Devils went out and landed Connor Hellebuyck on Friday. If the family reunion was a daydream before, Sunny Mehta just made it look like a contender.
New Jersey has won three straight, including Saturday's 3-1 win over Los Angeles.
Bill Guerin still has to close the deal on his franchise defenseman
Hughes has 14 points and a +7 rating this season.
His $7,850,000 cap hit is one of the best bargains in the league, which is exactly why the extension number will sting.
Minnesota sits 7-3-2 and plays in Vancouver on Sunday, a building he knows better than any other.
Planting your feet is what a goalie does before the shot. It means you're set, not that the puck has already been stopped.
Guerin should treat this as an opening and push now. Landing Dylan Larkin, as LeBrun suggested, could turn “something could happen” into a signed deal.
The Wild host the Devils on February 28, a day before the trade deadline. If nothing's signed by then, those planted feet will be the first thing everyone remembers.
Will Quinn Hughes sign an extension with the Wild before the trade deadline?
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