Quinn Hughes still doesn’t have a new deal in Minnesota, and according to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz, the Philadelphia Flyers could be a real threat to land him.
Asked which stars might realistically end up in Philadelphia over the next 12 months, Kurz pointed to Hughes as the name to watch most closely.
“In the short term, I would absolutely pay attention to what’s happening with Quinn Hughes, who still doesn’t have a contract extension in place in Minnesota and who might prefer to continue his career on the East Coast,” Kurz wrote.
Quinn Hughes to the Flyers?
Hughes has a strong existing relationship with Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet from their time together in Vancouver, and he’s also close friends with Flyers forward Trevor Zegras. According to Kurz, Philadelphia was already interested in acquiring Hughes last season before Vancouver traded him to Minnesota, but was told at the time that the Canucks had no interest in moving him there.
The Flyers’ aggressive approach this offseason backs up the idea that they’re willing to chase a star of Hughes’ caliber. They checked in on Zach Werenski before he re-signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and their offer sheet for Leo Carlsson showed they’re prepared to make one of hockey’s best players one of its highest-paid, using their cap flexibility as leverage.
READ MORE: EA Sports gets brutally roasted over new NHL 27 faces
Kurz noted that any trade for Hughes would have to come bundled with a new contract, given what Philadelphia would likely have to give up in assets.
“If Hughes wants a three-year extension — which would make him an unrestricted free agent in 2030, the same year as his brother, Jack, in New Jersey, would become a free agent — I would guess that would be palatable for the club,” Kurz wrote, adding it would give Philadelphia time for its young core to develop into a true contender.
As for the other names on the list, Kurz was far less bullish. Robert Thomas is off the board entirely after being named captain of the St. Louis Blues. The Flyers checked in on Dylan Larkin as well, but were told he wasn’t interested in Philadelphia, and with Steve Yzerman now gone from Detroit, Larkin could end up staying put regardless. Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid remain the wild cards, with their situations likely tied to how the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers perform this season.
READ MORE: Elliotte Friedman changes his Quinn Hughes contract prediction
