Nikita Kucherov Provides A Way Out With Quinn Hughes

Image courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images By Steven Miller - 56 minutes ago The Minnesota Wild are off to one of the best starts in franchise history — and almost no one saw it coming. They’ve done it with a road-heavy early schedule, Brock Faber on injured reserve, and myriad injuries . Right now, they’re the best team in the Western Conference, matching the Carolina Hurricanes with 30 points in the East. No one expected this version of the Wild. Mats Zuccarello , Vladimir Tarasenko , Marcus Johansson , and Brock Faber combined for 205 points last season. They’re gone or sidelined. The replacements have stepped up anyway. Kirill Kaprizov is on a tear with 17 goals, leading the NHL. Jesper Wallstedt has been better than advertised . Maxim Shabanov has replaced Zuccarello on the power play and already has eight goals — more than Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek . Danila Yurov keeps getting better and is winning faceoffs. The supporting cast has delivered. Still, Quinn Hughes is the engine. He’s logging massive minutes and quarterbacking the power play. He is second on the team in scoring with 27 points behind only Kaprizov’s 32. The trade Bill Guerin made to get him transformed the Wild overnight. The problem is Hughes still hasn’t signed an extension. He has become the most expensive rental in hockey. Minnesota gave up three of its own first-round prospects ( Marco Rossi , Zeev Buium , Liam Ohgren ) plus its 2026 first-round pick to land him. Before that, Guerin had already burned a 2025 first-round pick and multiple other picks on David Jiricek – a player the Wild later flipped . Earlier still, he moved Marat Khusnutdinov and yet another pick for essentially nothing of lasting value. In a short span, Guerin has spent five first-round picks (and a pile of other assets) and has only an unsigned Quinn Hughes to show for it. Few expect Hughes to re-sign in Minnesota. The people who said he would end up playing with his brothers in New Jersey next season look more right by the day. There is a way out. Nikita Kucherov has publicly said he wants out of Tampa Bay and has long wanted to play with his friend Kaprizov. A straight one-for-one (Hughes for Kucherov) is unlikely to work cleanly. Tampa can’t easily absorb Hughes’s contract without shedding salary, and Hughes may not want to go to Florida when his brothers are in New Jersey. However, a three-team deal between the Wild, Lightning, and Devils solves the problem: • New Jersey gets Quinn Hughes, who presumably signs so he can play with Jack and Luke. • Minnesota gets Nikita Kucherov, who signs an extension and gives the Wild a true long-term star after burning so much draft capital. • Tampa Bay receives salary-cap relief and assets from New Jersey (likely Timo Meier , who would need to waive his no-move, plus a prospect or two such as Arseny Gritsyuk , Cody Glass , or young Lavr Gashilov) to soften the loss of Kucherov and create room for Hughes. Which might not be enough for a generational asset like Hughes. I would also expect a draft pick, perhaps their 2027 first. It is the rare trade in which all three sides can claim a win. Guerin gets a franchise forward who will actually stay after emptying the prospect cupboard. Julien BriseBois gets out from under a superstar who has already asked out. New Jersey finally lands the elite defenseman its young core has been waiting for. If Tampa Bay doesn’t want to absorb all three salaries, they have options, including sending players down to the minors or even trading Cody Glass for future picks. Right now, the Wild are one of the best teams in the league. If they lose Hughes for nothing after spending assets to get him, that success will come with a steep long-term cost. This is the cleanest path to avoiding it. By Steven Miller Think you could write a story like this? Hockey Wilderness wants you to develop your voice, find an audience, and we'll pay you to do it. Just fill out this form . minnesota wild nhl nikita kucherov quinn hughes 1