Wild's Trade for Quinn Hughes Already a Smashing Success

With Quinn Hughes, everything seems possible for the Minnesota Wild.

Jan 15, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) shoots the puck against the Winnipeg Jets during the third period at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The second the Minnesota Wild traded for defenseman Quinn Hughes back in December, it was clear to everybody who was paying attention that the team was all in. Now that Hughes was in the building, winning — and winning a lot — was the expectation.

How could it not be? Hughes is unquestionably one of the most stellar defensemen in the entire NHL. With him in Minnesota, everything seemed possible. Maybe the vision was finally starting to take shape — the pieces were now all fitting together. Perhaps, after many years of waiting, a championship could be coming to the Twin Cities.

Those dreams and aspirations still live on almost two months since the trade. The Wild are in second place in the Central Division and have the inside track toward a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And while all the success can’t be placed solely at the feet of Hughes, a ton of it can, mostly because he’s already made Wild history just 20 games into his Minnesota tenure.

Hughes Has Already Made Wild Franchise History

Dec 14, 2025; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild defensemen Quinn Hughes (43) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the third period at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images | Nick Wosika-Imagn Images

In the Wild’s 4-3 overtime victory over the surging Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 22, Hughes continued to show why he demanded such a massive trade package. He posted three assists, including one on the Kirill Kaprizov game-winner in the extra period. That’s obviously outstanding, but it’s not unique.

Hughes has seven three-assist games already this season, four of which have come with the Wild. Even though he just arrived with the team a little over a month ago, he now has the second-most three-assist games from a defenseman in Minnesota franchise history. Only Ryan Suter has more with five. Furthermore, Hughes’ 22 assists with the Wild so far are the second-most all time for a player in his first 20 games with a franchise. Talk about making a good first impression.

Quinn Hughes recorded his fourth three-assist game with the @mnwild and matched the franchise record for the most in a single season.#NHLStats: https://t.co/G6h0bmhFiO pic.twitter.com/90DjQtYQLZ

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) January 23, 2026

In total, Hughes has tallied 47 points this season on four goals and a whopping — mind-boggling, bamboozling — 43 assists. He loves to help out on goals, which is a trait the Wild surely enjoy wholeheartedly.

Can the Wild Win It All With Hughes?

Jan 20, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Minnesota Wild forward Vladimir Tarasenko (91) celebrates with teammate Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) after scoring a goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images | Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

As previously mentioned, Hughes’ presence opens up door after door of opportunity for Minnesota. From top to bottom, the Wild’s blue line is one of dreams. Hughes, Brock Faber — who will be a teammate of Hughes’ on Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in February — Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon are all formidable and pack a punch. Add in the scoring of Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Marcus Johansson, Joel Eriksson Ek, Mats Zuccarello and several others, and the Wild have themselves a group that can win it all.

The only stumbling block comes with their competition. Navigating through the murky waters that reside in the Central Division is a difficult proposition for any team. Standing in the way of the Wild’s dreams are the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars, two clubs that also contain a glut of talent on their rosters.

In other words, it will be difficult, though with Hughes, anything seems possible. Should everything click right and Hughes perform at the level he’s capable of for the entirety of the season, then a championship — the first in Minnesota franchise history — could be on the horizon. If that doesn’t make a trade worth it, there’s no telling what will.

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