Pros and Cons of a Quinn Hughes Trade From the Wild to the Devils

The Wild pulled off the biggest trade of the season last year in acquiring Quinn Hughes from the Canucks. The star defenseman had an immediate impact on the team, with his performance increasing as he got more comfortable, heading into the playoffs.

The Wild famously faced the hardest path in the playoffs, ultimately falling to the top-seeded Avalanche in the second round. Hughes still has one year left on his six-year, $47.1 million contract (carrying a $7.85 million cap hit). But the opportunity to extend him -- which was always the goal -- opens up this July. With the salary cap continuing to rise, and with Hughes expecting a significant raise, his future could take a few turns.

He has stated a willingness to talk to the Wild about an extension, but will the Wild be able to afford him? Then, there's the question that always arises when it comes to Hughes' future: Could New Jersey, home to Quinn's two brothers Jack and Luke, pull off a deal for the eldest Hughes?

The Wild see re-signing Hughes as a top priority, but we won't know how close Hughes and Minnesota are with their ideas of term and pay until talks start this summer. If they're too far apart, this could be one of the best opportunities the Devils have to acquire Quinn via trade. If things go south with negotiations with Minnesota, the Wild could use their last bit of leverage to trade Hughes to the Devils and squeeze something out of it.

Obviously, this is all speculation, but it's particularly fun speculation when it involves three brothers potentially playing on the same team. Why not take a closer look at the pros and cons of Hughes to the Devils?

Pro: More NHL Players Exercising Their Options

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Last season, Artemi Panarin flexed the power of his no-movement clause to end up exactly where he wanted to be with the LA Kings.

Historically, many NHL players have waived parts of these clauses, and it's almost expected that a tradeable player will do this when his GM comes calling at the deadline.

Sometimes it makes sense, like when a team previously on the list due to a rebuild has transitioned into a brighter era. Other times, there's a combination of pressure or a sense of "bro code" within the league that has led players to waive contractual agreements they negotiated and had the right to flex.

As the salary cap rises, players are getting more opportunities to exercise greater agency and prioritize what they want to prioritize when they want to. We saw the Panarin situation play out, and we saw Connor McDavid opt for a bridge deal with Edmonton to prompt management to turn things around quickly.

If Hughes wants to use these negotiations with the Wild to snag a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play in the NHL with both of his brothers, it would be the latest great example of the rise of individual player power.

Pro: Having Three Brothers on the Same NHL Team is Pretty Cool

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There's a reason we gravitate toward the idea of Quinn Hughes playing for the Devils whenever his future is in question: it would be awesome.

It's not often that three siblings are active in the NHL. Even less often are they all pretty dang good. Least often do three or more siblings get to play together on the same team.

Some of us are old enough to remember Marián, Peter, and Anton Stasny sharing one of the most iconic and productive lines in NHL history as three brothers on the Nordiques.

Since then, we've seen some great family moments in the NHL. There was that time in 2013 when the Hurricanes started Jordan, Eric, and Jared Staal, but that was just one game, and Marc was missing. Two of three Hughes brothers, Brady and Matt Tkachuk, winning Gold for Team USA was special.

But pulling off the hat trick of brothers on one team for an extended period of time is rare and fun.

Con: Wild's Gamble Would Come Up Empty

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It sure would stink for the Wild if they made this incredible trade and ended up with no Cup -- and no needle-moving assets -- to show for it, especially after giving up three young players and a first-round pick. It would stink even worse knowing that they really did have a chance this postseason and tried everything, but their path and the horrible timing of injuries were just too much.

GM Bill Guerin said Monday that re-signing Hughes is Minnesota's "No. 1" priority, adding that these things take time. Keep in mind, the Wild can't officially negotiate an extension with Hughes until July 1, so they have some time to figure this out -- and the silence doesn't mean they aren't trying.

"I really like it here; I think that I would definitely be open to re-signing," Hughes said. "We'll see what Billy wants to do."

Con: The Wild Will Definitely Be Taking a Step Back

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There's no getting around it: Losing a Norris-winning defenseman in his prime and hungry for a Cup would be a step back for the Wild.

Hughes had 53 points in 48 games for the Wild while leading the NHL in average ice time (27:44). He bolstered up Minnesota's somewhat sluggish defense, made the core around him better, and improved every facet of the Wild's overall game.

Not only did he immediately make an impact, but imagine what a full (non-Olympic) season could look like in which Hughes was fully acclimated and comfortable?

Teams do survive losing star players -- just look at the Avalanche post-Mikko Rantanen trade. The thing is, your No. 1 defenseman, who leads your team (and all NHL skaters) in time on ice, has the most impact of any skater. Losing one of the best defensemen in the league would be a blow no matter what.

Pro: Losing Hughes Would Be a Blow, But Gaining Hischier Would Be a Good Consolation Prize

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The Avs are a solid example of a team finessing the best possible outcome when dealing with a star player in the last year of his contract.

They were criticized for playing hardball with Mikko Rantanen, ultimately trading him while he still could've made one more playoff run with the team under contract. But by taking the risk, they got Martin Necas, Jack Drury, and two draft picks out of Rantanen. Necas has been absolutely fantastic at a lower price. Drury has helped bolster the center depth that was regarded as the last missing piece for this team, and now the Avalanche are the best team in the NHL.

Again, extending Hughes should be the priority -- a top-two defenseman in the league in his prime almost never falls into your lap, and we saw the impact Hughes had on the team.

But, hey, the Wild could always use some more skill and scoring down the middle. If Nico Hischier is on the table, a trade would at least be easier to stomach -- far easier than losing Hughes for nothing.