Jack Hughes to MN Wild Trade Rumors Back Up?

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Minnesota Wild rumored trade target, Jack Hughes - New Jersey Devils
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The 2026 NHL offseason hasn’t gotten off to the start that Minnesota Wild president of hockey operations Bill Guerin envisioned, when he and head coach John Hynes turned their attention to the future, following their second round loss to the Colorado Avalanche in the playoffs.

This time last month, we never would have seen it coming. It wasn’t that long ago that the Wild were listed as one of three teams on the list of trade destinations Dylan Larkin handed into the Detroit Red Wings.

Back then, we all thought Billy G. was cooking up something big. Even if he wasn’t able to reel in Larkin, there was a feeling around the league that a handful of really good options would come available before the start of free agency.

So after losing Mats Zuccarello to LA, Marcus Johansson to Sweden and the expectation that Vladimir Tarasenko is leaving as a UFA too, the Wild have been left to make moves that add more depth to their roster, not blockbuster deals that significantly improve their chances as title contenders.

Minnesota Wild quietly in trade talks for Jack Hughes?

At this point, making a significant addition via free agency isn’t going to happen. After the moves made Thursday, the Minnesota Wild have very little cap space (about $2.5 million) remaining.

However, Guerin told media members this week that he still has trade irons in the fire.

According to Michael Russo (The Athletic), the Wild remain in talks with the Red Wings on Dylan Larkin. However, it’s the other name THE Wild insider is floating recently that caught my attention.

Included in parenthesis with a question mark, in a recent article he posted at The Athletic, Russo mentioned Quinn Hughes’ younger brother, Jack Hughes, as a name the Wild may be in talks to acquire.

Kaprizov will have to carry a bigger load, considering the lineup the Wild — at least, so far — are bringing back.

The summer is far from over, and the Wild believe they are still in the mix for Larkin and who knows who else (Jack Hughes?).

But, boy oh boy, are the Wild in need of some wingers.

Michael Russo – The Athletic

Of course, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard the Minnesota Wild connected to Jack Hughes, who currently plays for a New Jersey Devils organization that says they aren’t rebuilding, but one that continues to “retool” for the future.

To this point, however, the Devils have maintained that Jack is one of a few centerpieces in their reconstruction project. And really, we haven’t heard Jack’s name mentioned next to the Wild since the trade deadline ended.

Russo has been floating Jack Hughes on social media too

It’s hard to believe, though, that Russo would just toss a name like Jack Hughes out there all willy-nilly, without having any behind the scenes information to trigger it (hint?). And of all the moves Billy could make, there’s no doubt acquiring Jack Hughes would be the biggest.

Also interesting: Russo’s mention of Jack in Wednesday’s article wasn’t his first time he brought up the 24-year-old Gold Medal-winning centerman yesterday, as it relates to the Minnesota Wild.

In a back and forth with commenters in his X replies, Michael responded with the tweet below to a Devils fan/media account (@jp_gambatese) he obviously has a history with.

Jack Hughes is so talented that he has been a full-time NHL hockey player since the age of 18 years old, immediately after New Jersey drafted him No. 1 overall in 2019.

Related: Red Wings Wanted Absurd Return from Wild for Dylan Larkin

At 21 years old (2022-23), he scored 43 goals and assisted on 56 more (99 points). Then this winter, he led the United States to their first Olympic Gold Medal in hockey since 1980.

Hughes’ biggest issue through his first seven NHL seasons has been his health, missing 20 or more games in each of the past three seasons, limiting him to exactly 27 goals in all three.

Why Jack Hughes would want to leave New Jersey now

With four full seasons still remaining on his contract in New Jersey, which pays just $8 million per season, now would be as good a time as any to to ditch town. The Devils have already traded pieces around him and hired a new coach. Whether he sticks around to be part of the rebuild is likely up to him.

And given how badly his brother needs a center to put the Minnesota Wild over the top — and how good his connection is connection with Bill Guerin, it wouldn’t surprise me if Jack Hughes is taking a page out of Quinn’s book on how to force your way out of a bad situation and quietly pushing for a trade.

What do the Minnesota Wild have that the Devils might be interested in, you might be asking? Well, you can’t help but wonder if Billy is dangling a certain elite left winger from Russia who just started a new deal that pays him $17 million per season through 2033-34…

We know the Wild are still ticked off at Kirill Kaprizov’s agent and, even more curious, Russo’s been citing Kaprizov as one of the main reasons Minnesota made the conscious decision to move on from Mats Zuccarello and fellow Russian Vladimir Tarasenko.

Guerin trying to step on Kirill Kaprizov’s toes…?

In fact, if I didn’t know any better, it might seem like Guerin is trying to poke the Kaprizov bear a bit this offseason. Could that be in preparation to try and convince his highly-paid superstar to waive his no-trade clause for a move to New Jersey?

That’s a lot of reckless speculation… but oftentimes, where there is smoke, there’s fire. And unless Guerin is willing to offload Kaprizov or Matt Boldy, I don’t know how he gets the Devils’ attention.

Not to mention how difficult Kirill’s contract making Guerin’s life right now, as he looks at a roster that currently needs THREE new top-six forwards, which have not been easy to replace, to this point.

In fact, it’s legitimate to question if they’ve ever gotten off the ground, after a recent report out of Sportsnet suggested that their GM Steve Yzerman is demanding Matt Boldy back in return… which is never going to happen.

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