ST. PAUL, Minn. — Quinn Hughes unwound after an especially eventful hockey season with the usual retreat to his lake home in Michigan, soaking up the summer with his brothers and their friends.
Hughes would prefer if everyone would relax about his contract situation, too.
As the star defenseman and Olympic gold medalist reported to his first training camp with the Minnesota Wild without an extension, raising the anxiety level at least within the fan base. Hughes said after the team’s first practice that he’s plenty satisfied with the direction and state of the organization and simply hasn’t gotten around to thinking hard about the next phase of his career.
“With planning out my future, I don’t do that. I don’t really plan out my summer,” Hughes said. “Just kind of went about it and enjoyed it.”
Hughes is in the final year of his current deal with a $7.85 million salary cap hit. His agent, Pat Brisson, and Wild general manager Bill Guerin have begun talks about a new contract, but for Hughes the start of the regular season on Oct. 1 is just a superficial deadline.
“I don’t feel stressed to do something before the season,” Hughes said. “And that’s not saying that something won’t happen, but that’s just how it is.”
Fellow defenseman Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche set the bar for annual average value at $20.5 million by signing the richest deal in league history, but Hughes might well top that, particularly on a shorter-term contract.
Hughes has fueled some speculation about desiring to play with younger brothers Jack and Luke, who are both with New Jersey, but he’s only 26 and should have ample time left to link up with them down the road.
“I’m really happy here. I love the guys. I love the team, and I fit in really well,” Hughes said. “Obviously, there’s a draw to play with those guys at some point, but I think Jack said it perfectly: I’m not going to sacrifice a great spot for me to play with them.”
Left wing Marcus Foligno, whose older brother Nick was acquired by the Wild right before the trade deadline last season, has been reminding Hughes that he can wait to figure out where to play with Jack and Luke. Marcus is 35 and Nick will turn 39 in October.
“It’s the best when it’s toward the end of the career,” Foligno said. “You do it too early, you don’t appreciate it as much. It’s great when you’re just hanging on.”
After arriving in Minnesota near midseason in a trade with Vancouver, Hughes helped lead the U.S. national team to the gold medal at the Olympics in Italy about two months later. Then in just 48 games with the Wild, he set the franchise defenseman record with 53 points and was an integral part of their first-round victory over Dallas that was the first playoff series win in 11 years.
Guerin was general manager of the U.S. team, too, so he’s developed a strong relationship with Hughes, who offered no hint of dissatisfaction, impatience or uncertainty on the subject of wanting to re-up with the Wild.
“I have so much trust in Billy. He’s a great GM. He’s always going to address the needs of the team. It’s not like I have to freaking poke at Billy to do something,” Hughes said. “Billy’s kind of a shark. He’s going to be trying to make our team better at every point he can.”
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