Guerin hasn’t discussed Quinn Hughes contract with agents ‘in a long time’

Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin said Wednesday he has not spoken with representatives for defenseman Quinn Hughes “in a long time” with the 2024 Norris Trophy winner in the final season of his contract.

The 27-year-old has been eligible to sign a new contract with the Wild since July 1 and can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2027. He signed a six-year, $47.1 million contract ($7.85 million average annual value) with the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 3, 2021.

Guerin spoke on “The Chad Hartman Show” on WCCO Radio.

“To be quite honest with you I have not talked to them about this in a long time,” Guerin said. “To be honest with you there’s nothing really to talk about right now. What am I going to do, like, go and (say), ‘Please, please, please, please’? This is a unique situation, I think Quinn needs to wrap his head around a couple things, and I don’t think anything’s changed. I’m being honest with you. 

“Right now I’m focused on our team. … Quinn’s situation will resolve itself at some point in time, and like I said, this does not keep me awake at night. Yes I do think about it, but it’s not something that I’m going to let affect anything else I do. He’s going to take his time with it, and that’s it.”

Hughes has 18 points (three goals, 15 assists) in 14 games this season, second among NHL defensemen and second on the Wild behind forward Kirill Kaprizov (23 points; 14 goals, nine assists). He reached 500 career points Sunday in a 4-2 win against the Canucks in his 520th NHL game, becoming the seventh fastest defenseman all-time -- and second fastest American defenseman after Brian Leetch (496 games) -- to reach the milestone.

The Wild acquired Hughes from the Canucks in a blockbuster trade on Dec. 12, 2025, for forwards Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren, defenseman Zeev Buium and a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. He has 71 points (eight goals, 63 assists) in 62 games for Minnesota and 503 points (69 goals, 434 assists) in 521 career games for the Wild and Canucks.

Hughes most recently addressed his contract prior to his return to Vancouver on Sunday.

“I’m really enjoying it right now and just taking my time, and we’ll see where it goes,” he said. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if something happens soon.”

When asked about those comments Tuesday, Guerin said, “I have to just let Quinn do his thing, have his interviews, say what he needs to say. I’m not going to try to get in his head and honestly all I’m doing right now is letting this kid play hockey. And you know what, he’s playing great, he’s helping us win games. Like I’ve always said, whatever will happen will happen, and right now the only person who knows what’s going on in Quinn’s head is Quinn, and that’s OK. And I just want to keep moving forward as a team and keep trying to win games.”

Hughes indicated he was not in a rush to sign when he spoke at the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour in Las Vegas on Sept. 9, a week before training camps began.

“This is going to be done whenever I feel like it has to be done,” Hughes said then. “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.”

Guerin, speaking on “Judd’s Hockey Show” on SKOR North Radio from the Minnesota State Fair, had said just over a week earlier that he was confident Hughes would re-sign with Minnesota.

“That’s the luxury I have of being on the inside,” Guerin said. “There’s always the other side of it. I can be confident, you can be insecure, you just have to work through the process of the negotiations, figuring out what the player wants, what it will take to keep him, make him happy.”

The Wild (9-3-2) are in first place in the Central Division after winning their past three games and earning points in six of their past seven (5-1-1). They next play Thursday, hosting the New York Islanders (8 p.m. ET; Wild+, MINNHL, MSGSN).

Guerin said Tuesday he hadn’t decided if Hughes would remain with the Wild for the remainder of the season regardless of his contract status. If he does not re-sign, the Wild would be open to the possibility of losing him in free agency if they don’t trade him.

“At some point in time, I’ll have to try to figure things out and see what’s best for the team,” said Guerin. “But I know one thing’s for sure: Having Quinn on our team is what’s best for the team. … I don’t know what’s going to happen, I don’t know what I’m going to do. There’s no date. What we’re doing right now is focusing on our team and trying to win hockey games. That’s really it. I think some people want to make this more complicated than it really is, being the media. And it’s not that complicated.”