The New York Rangers are focused on the upcoming season, where they made the bulk of their additions already, with the hope that the roster is improved enough for them to make it back into the playoffs. The likes of Pavel Dorofeyev, Sean Durzi, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Marcus Pettersson are all expected to help the Rangers improve overall and help them escape the basement of the Eastern Conference.
While yes, the Rangers would like to add a superstar down the line, it doesn't appear that one will be available in the near future. Meanwhile, the Rangers faithful are watching the New Jersey Devils fanbase confidently speaking their dream scenario into reality with each update. Let's face it, Rangers fans don't want to see Devils fans happy. That's part of the rivalry.
It's no secret that Devils fans have been dreaming about the team adding defenseman Quinn Hughes. Not only because he is one of the top defensemen in the game, but also so they can have the a family reunion. As Rangers fans know, Jack and Luke Hughes are both on the Devils. Jack has publicly expressed his desire to play on the same team as Quinn at some point in their NHL careers. So, Devils fans are hoping that day comes sooner rather than later, preferrably in New Jersey.
Due to this, Devils fans are hanging onto every update regarding Quinn's contract negotiations with the Minnesota Wild. The latest update will undoubtedly have Devils fans ready to order their No. 43 Hughes jerseys.
Devils fans are dreaming about Quinn Hughes after latest contract updates
First things first, once the Wild's season ended, both the team and Hughes said they were both open to working out a contract extension. But as of this writing, there hasn't been any progress. Wild general manager Bill Guerin expressed patience during an appearance on SKOR North's Judd's Hockey Show, saying that negotiations do take time.
“I don’t want to get too far into it, but I’ve been talking to Quinn and his camp,” Guerin said, h/t Gone Puck Wild. “Like I said last year with Kirill, these things take time. They’re big decisions for players. They’re big decisions for teams. So it’s a process to work through it and this is no different than any other big contract negotiation.”
During an appearance on NHL Network, Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said he's not worried about the lack of progress in talks between Hughes and the Wild. Friedman did say, however, he would worry if there is no extension reached by the start of the season.
"I will worry about this (Hughes' extension) if it's not done by the start of the season," said Friedman, h/t Pucks and Pitchforks. "That's just my personal feeling. If it's not done by the start of the season, I'll start to say 'What's going on here?'"
Devils fans need to calm down about Quinn Hughes dream now
Look, the more uncertainty there is surrounding Hughes and the Wild, that is welcoming news for fanbases of teams that want to add Hughes to the roster in the near future. But, let's not forget that the Wild dealt with a similar situation last year.
Minnesota's star forward, Kirill Kaprizov, was originally set to hit free agency this summer. The Wild had until the start of the 2025-26 regular season to reach an agreement on a contract extension. Throughout last offseason, reporting indicated that both sides were far apart on a deal, making it look like Kaprizov was definitely hitting free agency. But then, right near the buzzer, the Wild and Kaprizov agreed to terms on a gigantic eight-year, $136 million contract extension, the richest deal in NHL history at the time.
It's entirely possible that the Wild and Hughes are able to reach an agreement before the start of this upcoming season. The Wild certainly aren't panicking, although their fanbase might be.
For the Devils, it doesn't mean that the Wild will be trading Hughes immediately if the two sides don't reach an agreement. In all likelihood, that could happen in 2030. After all, the buzz is that Quinn wants to sign a three-year extension so his free agency lines up with Jack's. That could mean the two sign with the Devils, or elsewhere.
But as of now, Devils fans need to calm down a bit when it comes to putting Quinn in a Devils uniform immediately. Rangers fans would love it if they were brought back down to reality. Who knows, maybe Quinn ends up with the Rangers?
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