The Minnesota Wild made one of the biggest trades in recent history, picking up Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes. It was an earth-shattering trade, especially considering many thought he would land with the New Jersey Devils. The Canucks were about to play the Devils before the trade. Wild GM Bill Guerin explains how that fact impacted Hughes' equipment arriving in St Paul.
“Guerin reveals on Wild broadcast that they realized after they landed in St. Paul, they didn’t have Quinn’s gear. It was apparently put in one of his brother’s vehicles,” Ben Birnell of Sentinel Media reported. “More specifically, Guerin said Quinn Hughes’ gear was put in Jack Hughes’ car. ‘It was flown in this morning. I was up at 5 am this morning hoping ‘that plane better be in the air. … So I started making more meatballs.'”
Guerin made the trade that will define his career as the Wild GM. And then the player he got didn't have skates. Panic set in, as one would expect. And like a good Italian grandmother, Guerin made meatballs.
The Devils connection comes up again, even after Quinn Hughes has scored a goal for the Wild. Everyone assumed Quinn would join Jack and Luke in New Jersey, creating a three-headed Hughes monster. But hours before the trade was made, the brothers were together in New Jersey, preparing for the Devils-Canucks matchup. In the rush to get to St Paul, Quinn forgot his gear.
The Wild have Hughes and his equipment for this season and next. They have a chance to win their first Stanley Cup in that window. But then the question will arise again: Will Hughes stay, or will he leave to play with his brothers? But for now, the Wild and Guerin will sit back and watch one of the best defensemen in the world play in the State of Hockey.
