The New Jersey Devils have already made a major move by acquiring Connor Hellebuyck, but that doesn't mean they have to be finished making big additions. If they want to put together a serious package for Quinn Hughes, they'll have to get creative with the assets they have left.
Landing a player like Hughes isn't going to come cheap, especially with the type of impact he can have on a team's blue line. The Devils would likely need to put together a pretty significant package, and there are a handful of players and draft picks who could be involved.
What could the Devils offer for Hughes?
There are several pieces New Jersey could look at moving, including Arseny Gritsyuk, Luke Evangelista, or even top prospects Anton Silaev and their best goaltending prospect, Mikhail Yegorov. All four could have value in a potential deal, whether it's their NHL experience or long-term potential.
The Devils still have some valuable draft capital to work with as well. They could potentially offer picks in one or more of the three upcoming NHL Drafts, which they have four first-round picks, including two in 2027 and additional first-rounders in 2028 and 2029.
Dougie Hamilton is another name worth considering. He's obviously not the same type of defenseman as Hughes, but he can still provide a team with a top-four option who can help run a power play. His contract and trade protection would make things more complicated, as he would have to approve a move.
However, if Hamilton were willing to accept a trade to the Minnesota Wild, that could make things more interesting. Minnesota is a powerhouse and would give him an opportunity to join a team with serious expectations.
Minnesota needs to salvage a return from the Hughes situation
There is also the situation surrounding Hughes to consider. If he wants to be traded and has his sights set on joining New Jersey, Minnesota general manager Bill Guerin may have to focus on getting whatever return he can rather than holding out for an unrealistic asking price. The Wild don't necessarily have to trade him, but if they believe he could walk in free agency next summer, getting something significant in return would be better than losing him for nothing.
That is where New Jersey has to make sure its offer checks the right boxes for Minnesota. The Devils can't just throw together a package they like and expect the Wild to accept it. They need to provide the type of young talent and draft capital that Guerin can use to keep building his roster. If Hughes wants to go to New Jersey, a deal that sends him where he wants to play while giving Minnesota a strong return could make sense for everyone involved.
Devils offer would need to be huge
Of course, this isn’t an actual package that New Jersey would need to offer, but rather a collection of the assets they could potentially use to get a deal done. It’s clear that there would need to be some combination of players, prospects, and picks involved.
The Devils have already made a major move with Hellebuyck, but if they're serious about adding Hughes, they may have to part with even more of their future. Or, they could just wait until he hits the open market and sign him then. That said, with how good they have played this season with a healthy Jack Hughes, why would they waste the chance to acquire Quinn from Minnesota?
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