How the Minnesota Wild rolled out the red carpet for Quinn Hughes
The Wild went all out after acquiring Quinn Hughes, and one of the team's insiders revealed everything special they did for him to make him feel like royalty.
The Minnesota Wild have clearly established themselves as players in the Central Division with the addition of Quinn Hughes to their roster. They are full of talent, but their general manager, Bill Guerin, hasn't lost sight of what they need to improve.
How the Wild rolled out the red carpet for Quinn Hughes
Insider Michael Russo describes just how welcome Hughes was in the Wild following the Vancouver trade.
The red carpet treatment included an Escalade to pick him up and bring him to the airport, his favorite meal lined up on the flight, his preferred foods of choice in his hotel room, Wild jerseys for his relatives stacked high, and even an available new car the following day, which turned out to be a new BMW.
Such hospitality may be replicated with any future acquisitions. One possible trade could originate from a divisional rival. Two-way center Ryan O'Reilly might be available from Nashville, according to Russo and TSN's Pierre LeBrun.
"OK, I stole this idea from our Wild expert, Michael Russo. But I agree it makes sense," LeBrun wrote in a recent article. "The Wild need a center who can win draws, and O'Reilly can still contribute offensively, is a Cup champion, and is the type of character guy Wild general manager and president of hockey operations Bill Guerin loves, as far as the culture piece of it."
- Pierre LeBrun
- Pierre LeBrun
Why Nashville could be enticed to trade Ryan O'Reilly
O'Reilly is a beloved teammate, but Nashville could trade him if a first-round draft choice and a high-level prospect are in the mix.
Minnesota has already forfeited its first-round pick for 2026 in exchange for Hughes, but its 2027 pick is available. So, a trade becomes an enticing option for the Predators.
Previously on HockeyLatest
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 24 | 69 ANSWERS How the Minnesota Wild rolled out the red carpet for Quinn Hughes Do you find the Minnesota Wild sucked up to Quinn Hughes? | ||
| Yes | 56 | 81.2 % |
| No | 13 | 18.8 % |
| List of polls | ||