Quinn Hughes addresses contract speculation and the possibility of playing with his brothers
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Quinn Hughes says there's no drama behind his contract situation in Minnesota, and he's not rushing anything just because the calendar says September.
Hughes addressed the swirling speculation about his next deal head on this week, pointing out that plenty of star players have waited far longer to put pen to paper.
He brought up Kirill Kaprizov as the obvious example, noting that Kaprizov didn't sign until well past this point on the calendar and nobody read that as a sign of trouble.
For Hughes, it's simply part of the process, and he insists there's no tension building behind the scenes in Minnesota.
Why the brothers angle keeps coming up
The obvious subplot here is family.
Jack and Luke Hughes are both entrenched pieces in New Jersey, and it's no secret that the idea of all three brothers eventually sharing a locker room has fans in two cities daydreaming.
Quinn didn't dodge the question.
He admitted there's a real pull to playing alongside his brothers someday, which is a pretty human thing to admit given how close that trio has always been.
"First of all, it's September 16th. I mean, Kirill didn't sign, ... I don't even know when, but later than this. So I wouldn't say there's any issues here. I just think that we're going through the process, specifically myself, and just taking the time, and, like I said at the media tour, I don't feel pressure to do anything. I'm really happy here. I love the guys. I love the team, and I fit in really well. I think, obviously, like, yeah, there's a draw to playing with those guys at some point. But I think Jack said it perfectly at media tour: I'm not going to sacrifice a great spot for me to play ... with them."
- Quinn Hughes
- Quinn Hughes
Where he stands right now
Even with that pull acknowledged, Hughes made his priorities clear.
He leaned on something Jack said during media tour, essentially that you don't walk away from a great situation just for the sake of playing together.
Hughes said he loves his teammates, loves the organization, and feels like he fits in well, which sounds like a player who isn't in any hurry to leave Minnesota.
For now, this reads like a player comfortable with patience, not a player plotting an exit.
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