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MN Wild Decide on Coach, What About Quinn Hughes?
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- MN Wild Decide on Coach, What About Quinn Hughes?
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The Minnesota Wild 's season came to a shocking end earlier this week, when the most talented hockey team ever assembled in the organization's 25-year history surrendered a 3-0 first period lead and fell in OT of Game 5 to the Colorado Avalanche 4-3, marking the end of the longest MN Wild playoff run in over a decade.
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Now, focus shifts to one of the most important offseasons in franchise history, and one that may decide how we ultimately look back on the Bill Guerin era.
And that's because moves made by the president of hockey ops this summer are likely to decide whether or not the Minnesota Wild reach their Stanley Cup aspirations during 29-year-old Kirill Kaprizov 's prime years.
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Guerin's mind already made up on John Hynes' future?
First and foremost, Guerin need(ed) to make a decision on head coach John Hynes, who's entering the final year of his contract after another pinning another tragic chapter to his unfortunate (11-25) record in the NHL Playoffs.
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Despite a legitimate argument for his dismissal , however, it sounds like Guerin has no plans to fire his good friend and fellow 2026 Olympic Gold Medal winner with Team USA. In fact, according to Michael Russo and Joe Smith (The Athletic), an extension is around the corner.
Hynes guided the Wild to their first second-round appearance in 11 years, their second consecutive postseason under his tenure and their seventh 100-point season in 25 years. He's almost certainly safe for now.
That said, he is entering the last year of his contract, which will ramp up the pressure if he isn't signed to an extension this offseason.
Our gut: He will be.
And was precedent to fire John Hynes, especially following such an epic Game 5 collapse and after a series they lost 4-1 because his players were not willing to play the brand of hockey he coached them to play.
Just a few years ago, Hynes was hired because Billy had just fired then head coach Dean Evason 19 games into the 2023-24 season , after his Minnesota Wild stumbled out to a 5-10-4 start.
MN Wild assistant coaches in danger of being fired?
When Evason walked out the door, he did so with a .639 regular season point percentage through four-plus seasons, a number that is currently higher than Hynes' .604 point percentage through three seasons. Evason also made the playoffs all four of years he finished as Wild head coach.
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If heads are going to roll, per The Athletic, it'll happen within John Hynes' staff, where they specifically point to the penalty kill, which has been a problem now for multiple postseasons.
The rest of the staff could get a look. The penalty kill has now been a problem for several playoff runs. It showed promise as the league's best from the Olympic break on (and Hynes' U.S. PK was 18-for-18 at the Olympics), but still, this should be evaluated.
It's worth noting that associate coach Jack Capuano and assistant Pat Dwyer are believed to be the two mostly involved in organizing Minnesota's penalty kill the past couple seasons.
When it comes to players on the ice, the decisions for Bill Guerin this offseason seem endless, as he decides on the fate of nearly ten unrestricted free agents — including key pieces like Mats Zuccarello , Marcus Johansson , Nick Foligno and Vladimir Tarasenko .
Related News: MN Wild Forward Answers the Retirement Question
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However, all eyes over the next few months will be on contract negotiations with one player, a superstar defenseman who is not yet a free agent.
Are the Wild going to extend Quinn Hughes ?
Quinn Hughes was acquired by Minnesota well before the 2026 trade deadline, in exchange for all of the organization's best young assets (not named Matt Boldy ) + with multiple draft picks prior to the 2026 trade deadline.
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It was a bold move that's been widely lauded, and one that landed Guerin as a finalist for NHL GM of the Year . However, if Billy can't get an extension done with Hughes this summer, then loses him next offseason in free agency, history will not look back so fondly (unless they win a cup next year).
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Thankfully, it sounds like an extension is on the horizon, if not this summer, then at some point next season. According to Russo and Smith , don't be surprised if the Wild reach a three-year agreement with their superstar defenseman between now and the end of next regular season.
Every time we talked to Hughes during the season, he mentioned how much he enjoyed the team and staff. He talked about how good the Wild can be once he, Matt Boldy, Kaprizov and Brock Faber build chemistry, and it showed as Hughes was one of the team's best players in the playoffs.
We'll know more about how Hughes feels after exit interviews, but it didn't seem like all of his good feelings about the Wild were wiped with one series loss to the Presidents' Trophy winners.
It wouldn't be a surprise for Hughes to sign a three-year extension this summer or next season, which would give him four years of his prime to chase the Cup with Minnesota — and align his contract's expiration with his brother Jack's in New Jersey.
Minnesota Wild need to get this deal done now, not later…
Obviously, any new contract for Quinn Hughes is expected to be at or near the top of the league in average annual value, but because he wants to play with his brothers, he isn't looking to cash in big on a long-term contract that will tie him to Minnesota for the foreseeable future.
The 26-year-old eldest Hughes brother is set to enter the final year of a six-year contract he signed with Vancouver back in 2021, worth $47 million. His next deal will likely surpass that, despite being half the term.
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Quinn Hughes 2025-26 Stats : 74 GP | 7 Goals | 76 Assists | 54.1 DF% | 56.5 oZS% | 27:44 TOI
While in theory, the MN Wild could wait to get a deal done until next season, like Russo and Smith mention. However, it would really behoove both sides to get it done before then.
Billy has the money set aside and clearly wants to lock in another prized talent on this roster (and one he just traded the entire farm for). Meanwhile, you have to believe Quinn Hughes wants to lock in his three-year payday ASAP too.
Things happen in life, both on and off the ice. To wait at all, let alone until after he starts playing hockey again, would be insane, especially when the Minnesota Wild will have big money on the table for him.
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Of course, until Hughes signs on the dotted line, nothing is guaranteed.
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