The New Jersey Devils are the biggest story in the NHL right now. It’s not how they wanted it to happen, but this is the situation they are facing right now. A statement sent to the world after what should have been a big win against the Toronto Maple Leafs changed how everyone is looking at the team. We talked about how we felt about the statement, but it’s time for the Devils to move on.
Let the rest of the world worry about the nuances of the statement, the press conference, and the reasoning behind Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request. He’s a member of the New Jersey Devils, and the worst is behind them. Everything else is social media chatter.
The Devils have closure on the situation. The game with the Winnipeg Jets is over. All the Devils lost were two points in the standings. The “respect” across the league can be captured by simply winning.
While the Devils' situation found some closure, one thing that has no closure is the Quinn Hughes situation in Minnesota. They are playing like one of the best teams in the league. Hughes is the frontrunner for the Norris Trophy (well, either him or Evan Bouchard). It seems like this is the Wild’s best chance at the Stanley Cup in a generation.
Unfortunately, all the conversation still surrounds Hughes’s current contract status. Every update is usually covered like it’s breaking news, but the latest one, which seems like a significant one, fell under the radar because of the nonsensical coverage surrounding Hellebuyck.
Bill Guerin made a significant admission about Quinn Hughes that could change when the star defenseman becomes available to the Devils
The 27-year-old has been eligible to sign a new contract with the Wild since July 1. One year from that date, he will become an unrestricted free agent. It’s a ticking time bomb for the Wild (and any team looking at a sign-and-trade). It turns out, the Wild don’t care. At least, that’s their public position on the matter.
Wild GM Bill Guerin stated this week that he is comfortable going beyond the trade deadline on March 1st without a contract extension in place for Hughes.
When asked straight up what the inflection point would be for Hughes, Guerin said he didn’t know if there was one, and when asked if he would be willing to go beyond March 1st, he said, “Sure.”
"Honestly, we’re a better team with Quinn Hughes, so I mean, I want to keep him as long as I possibly can. Whether it’s three months, three years, seven years, whatever, we’re a better team with Quinn Hughes."Bill Guerin, Wild GM
Guerin could always change his mind, and he could also be bluffing. Nothing is sacred in the Quinn Hughes negotiation, but the more we hear from Guerin, the less certain it becomes that Hughes stays in Minnesota.
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