If this offseason showed Philadelphia Flyers fans anything, it's that general manager Danny Briere will make a move for a big star to help them contend for a Stanley Cup. They tried to make a big swing for Leo Carlsson, but to no avail after the Anaheim Ducks matched their five-year, $90 million offer sheet. The Flyers opted against making another big move this offseason but it does open the door for them to make a move down the line, whether it's at the trade deadline or next offseason.
One of the big free agents next summer is defenseman Quinn Hughes, who has yet to sign a contract extension with the Minnesota Wild. The Flyers have recently been linked to Hughes, with the defenseman having positive relationships with head coach Rick Tocchet and forward Trevor Zegras. So, if Hughes doesn't sign a contract with the Wild, Flyers fans are undoubtedly going to be dreaming about the star defenseman wearing an orange No. 43 jersey.
After a lengthy offseason, Hughes finally spoke with reporters at the NHL Media Tour in Las Vegas. This gave the NHL world the opportunity to hear from Hughes about whether or not he wants to re-sign with the Wild. Did Hughes crack the door open for potential teams like the Flyers to get excited about potentially signing him?
Quinn Hughes says he's not in a hurry to sign new contract
It certainly felt that way on Wednesday when Hughes was adamant about not rushing his decision, stressing that he wants to take his time to do what's best for him.
"This is going to be done whenever I feel like it needs to be done," said Hughes, h/t NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "I don't feel backed up against a wall. I'm very thoughtful. I want to make sure I'm taking my time on everything and make sure I'm making a decision that is going to be good for everyone. That's kind of where my head has been at. We haven't had that many conversations just because of how I wanted my summer to go in terms of being fresh and resetting and enjoying and training and being around friends and family. As we get going here I'm sure it'll heat up, but I don't feel backed up against a wall where I have to sign before camp."
When seeing these comments from Hughes on Wednesday evening, you'd say that sounds like a player who is not committed to signing a new contract with the Wild to extend his stay by a few years, at minimum. That certainly gave the New Jersey Devils fanbase some real hope, as they have been dreaming about the Hughes brothers teaming up for years. It certainly should have made Flyers fans happy, especially if Hughes were to hit free agency next summer.
But things have shifted in the wrong direction.
Quinn Hughes sounds like a player who is ready to sign a contract extension with the Wild
Hughes spoke with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas on the 32 Thoughts Podcast, and sounded like a player who is set to sign a new deal with the Wild eventually.
“So, for me, I just feel at peace. I feel like there’s a lot to look forward to this year. And as far as the noise, if someone wants to ask me a question, I’m not basing decisions because I don’t want to answer questions. But I'm gonna take my time, and Billy's gonna take his time, and I'm sure it’ll work out,” said Hughes.
The keywords of "I'm sure it'll work out" make it sound as though he's going to sign a new deal with the Wild at some point. It may not happen before the start of the season. But, he has said he's enjoyed his time in Minnesota, so it may only be a matter of time before they make it official.
Even if Hughes had hit free agency, allowing the Flyers to step in to sign him, there were question marks. While teams would undoubtedly look to sign him to a seven-year contract, there was a belief he would only take a three-year deal to line up his free agency with his younger brother Jack, which would then allow them to sign together with a new team. There is also the fact that the price of elite defensemen increased after Cale Makar signed an eight-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche, where he's getting paid $20.4 million per year. So, a Hughes deal might be pricey.
The Flyers do have a young core of defensemen, but they will need a top pairing option with Rasmus Ristolainen hitting free agency next summer. Hughes would have been an ideal replacement option, but it doesn't sound like he would be available for Briere. But, things can obviously change. Specifically, talks between Hughes and the Wild going south.
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