The Minnesota Wild are on top of the hockey world right now. They aren't first in the standings, but they are certainly on cloud nine regardless. The Wild swung a trade for superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes out of nowhere on Friday night. And in his first game with Minnesota, Hughes scored his first goal in his new colors.
Minnesota's newest star certainly did not wait long to endear himself to his new fanbase. He spoke about being open-minded regarding a contract extension with the Wild after defeating the Boston Bruins, for instance. And more recently, he took to social media to show how he's embraced the State of Hockey following last week's trade.
Hughes only scored the one goal. But Grand Casino Arena could not have been more energetic on Sunday night. And this energy certainly fueled the entire team forward. Kirill Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman each provided two points in the 6-2 victory over Jeremy Swayman and the Bruins.
The trade certainly puts Minnesota in a position to contend for a Stanley Cup. Hughes is arguably a top-two defenseman in the NHL and has a legitimate claim for the No. 1 spot. He is a former Norris Trophy winner, as well, earning top defenseman honors in 2023-24.
The Wild sent defenseman Zeev Buium, forwards Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren, and a 2026 first-round pick to the Vancouver Canucks for Hughes. Buium scored two points in his Canucks debut on Sunday as Vancouver defeated the New Jersey Devils.
Hughes and the Wild seem like a great match so far. However, the Western Conference is no cakewalk, even with the talent Minnesota now has. They will need to continue winning, and they hope to keep the good times rolling on Tuesday against the Washington Capitals.
