Quinn Hughes Talks Potential Wild Contract Extension After Cale Makar's Historic Avalanche Deal

Quinn Hughes hasn't yet played a full season with the Minnesota Wild, and he isn't feeling much urgency to sign a new deal with the team.

"This is going to be done whenever I feel like it needs to be done," Hughes, who has one year remaining on his contract after coming over to Minnesota from the Vancouver Canucks via trade last season, said Wednesday, per Dan Rosen of NHL.com. 

"I don't feel backed up against a wall. I'm very thoughtful. I want to make sure I'm taking my time on everything and make sure I'm making a decision that is going to be good for everyone. That's kind of where my head has been at.

"We haven't had that many conversations just because of how I wanted my summer to go in terms of being fresh and resetting and enjoying and training and being around friends and family. As we get going here I'm sure it'll heat up, but I don't feel backed up against a wall where I have to sign before camp."

There could be something of a blueprint in place.

Rosen noted the defenseman's next deal is expected to pay him roughly the same amount of money per year as Colorado Avalanche defender Cale Makar after the latter agreed to an eight-year, $163.2 million deal this sumer.

Makar set the NHL record at $20.4 million per year.

Hughes is just 26 years old and one of the best defensemen in the league, and it would be anything but a surprise if the Wild give him a deal worth more than that in an effort to keep him with the team beyond just the 2026-27 campaign.

While he isn't in a rush to sign at this point, he said he could "of course" see himself in Minnesota for the foreseeable future.

So is he worried about contract negotiations carrying into the season?

"It's not going to weigh over me personally," Hughes said. "I mean, I'm excited to play hockey. I think if I can stay healthy I'm going to have my best season. I feel great. So I don't have it weighing over me, I don't think."

Hughes' resume already includes two All-Star selections and the 2023-24 Norris Memorial Trophy as the league's top defenseman. 

He helped lead the Wild to the second round of the playoffs last season and could be a franchise cornerstone moving forward. First, though, the two sides need to come to terms on a new deal.