Quinn Hughes’ future with the Minnesota Wild has been an ongoing storyline throughout the NHL off-season.

Hughes, 26, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July unless the Wild sign him to an extension. He’s entering the final season of a six-year contract with an average annual value of $7.85 million.

Winner of the Norris Trophy in 2023-24, Hughes has established himself among the league’s elite defensemen. He provided a significant boost to the Wild since his acquisition from the Vancouver Canucks last December, helping them to a 104-point performance and winning their first playoff series since the 2014-15 season.

The Wild see Hughes as a key part of their Stanley Cup hopes. Earlier this month, general manager Bill Guerin said negotiations with the defenseman’s camp were ongoing. However, he cautioned that it would take time to get him signed, just like his efforts to get Kirill Kaprizov under contract last year. That deal didn’t get finalized until Sept. 30.

On Aug. 14, Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic reported that the majority of Wild fans polled still believe Guerin will get Hughes signed.

Russo indicated that league sources believe Hughes wants to re-sign with the Wild. However, the cost of signing talent has risen sharply this summer, making it more difficult than management expected.

Earlier this summer, it was reported that the Wild hope to get Hughes signed to an eight-year extension before Sept. 15. After that date, the maximum term for re-signing players drops from eight years to seven.

However, it appears that hughes prefers a shorter term. Russo speculated that the superstar blueliner’s next contract could be five years or less with an average annual value within the $19-million range.

Barring an unexpected breakdown in negotiations, it’s likely that Hughes gets an extension done before the season begins. Some observers think that he could be waiting to see how much Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar gets in his next contract.

Speaking of pending UFAs, Drake Batherson and the Ottawa Senators continue to discuss a contract extension.

The 28-year-old winger is in the final season of a six-year deal with a $4.9-million cap hit. He reportedly wants to stay with the Senators, and they are determined to keep him in the fold.

Unlike Hughes, Batherson wants the maximum eight-year extension, according to a PostMedia report. However, the clock is ticking on reaching an agreement before the Sept. 15 deadline.

The report also suggested that Batherson seeks a deal comparable to those of Adrian Kempe of the Los Angeles Kings and Alex Tuch of the Washington Capitals. Both are on eight-year contracts, with Kempe earning an AAV of $10.6-million and Tuch $10.5-million.

Both sides have time to get a deal done, but the longer Batherson goes unsigned, the more uneasy Senators fans will be about his future in Ottawa.

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