Overview
- Minnesota acquired Hughes from Vancouver for Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Öhgren and a 2026 first-round pick in a late‑week deal.
- Hughes scored in a 6-2 win over Boston in his first game for the Wild and publicly praised GM Bill Guerin for “sacking up” to make the trade, saying he is extremely open‑minded about staying long term.
- The defenseman’s contract runs through 2026–27, leaving the Wild roughly a season and a half to secure an extension before he can become a UFA in 2027.
- Analysts say Hughes elevates an already deep blue line, with Minnesota’s defense-goaltending mix projected to make them one of the toughest teams to score on in the season’s second half.
- League reporting indicates Detroit’s pursuit stalled, with Elliotte Friedman suggesting the Red Wings may have balked at including Simon Edvinsson, while other suitors were unwilling to meet Vancouver’s price.