Quinn Hughes extending with the Minnesota Wild could be coming into question
Locked on Devils: Kevin Kavanaugh and Jeff Marek on the Sheet with Jeff Marek talking about Quinn Hughes, the Minnesota Wild, and the extension situation. Is it becoming more ‘if’ than ‘when’ an extension gets done?
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Kavanaugh: “And even like now we’re talking about Quinn. right? And his extension that was going to for sure be signed, you know, a couple weeks into this offseason, and now we’ve gotten, we’ve gotten to August, and Bill Gurein was on with (Michael) Russo today, where he was basically talking about, you know these are big decisions, and we’ve been in touch with their camp.
And, you know, the sentiment I’d say a month ago was not if he’s going to sign this extension, but when he’s going to sign this extension with Minnesota, and now it almost feels like it’s shifted a little bit to if.”
Marek: “I agree.”
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Kavanaugh: “But you still put Minnesota in the driver’s seat, right? You still, for all intents and purposes, think that it’s going to get done. But the longer this drags on, if we get to training camp and there’s no deal in place, the conversation is only going to get louder and louder and louder.
And the Devils, I think, are kind of keeping that cap space open a little bit to be able to make that move.”
Marek: “Yep.”
Kavanaugh: “Quinn’s only due $7.85 million AAV against the cap this year. So obviously the big number will come in the extension that starts next season. But they have the space to fit him in this year with a couple moves. So I think that’s on the back of their mind.”
Marek: “I think in the in the back of Quinn Hughes’s mind here too is, I don’t think that anything, I don’t think any of this is about the money. Because I think the money he’s going to get in Minnesota is the money he’s going to get in New Jersey is the money he’s going to get in Detroit is the money he’s going to get wherever he ends up going.”
Kavanaugh: “Yep.”
Marek: “I think he looks at it and says like, “Is this a Stanley Cup team?”
Kavanaugh: “Yep.”
Marek: “Honestly, I really do.”
Kavanaugh: “Look at the forwards.”
Marek: “Look at the centers. Like, just look at like right down the middle.”
Kavanaugh: “And Joel Eriksson Ek is a great center. I think he’s really, really solid center, but aside from him, like your center depth is pretty weak.
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And I think if you look at the Devil’s center depth, on the contrary, they have two of the top centers in the league. You could probably rank them, I think the Athletic ranked them the second or third best center duo in the NHL with Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes.
You’re also at a position, Jeff, where you’re in the prime of your career. When do you have an opportunity to play with both of your brothers in the NHL in the prime of your career? Where you could potentially win a Stanley Cup for the next three or four seasons.
The Devils adding a player like Quinn Hughes, whatever they have to give up, they will be well positioned to compete for a Stanley Cup year in and year out with both Jack and Quinn Hughes, and the other moves that Sonny Mehta has made on that roster, I believe, has positioned themselves…”
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