Quinn Hughes' Extension Talks Stall, Wild's Roster Purgatory Continues

The Minnesota Wild are in roster purgatory, and Quinn Hughes' extension talks are a major reason why. The team's projected lineup is incomplete, and their chances of success depend on finding an extension for Hughes and trading for a key player.

What happened?

The Wild's top lineup feels mighty incomplete, and it's not just because of the Quinn Hughes situation. The team's projected lineup on Daily Faceoff shows that they're relying heavily on second-year players Danila Yurov and Max Shabanov to thrive alongside Kirill Kaprizov. However, asking two second-year players to carry the load with a 45-goal scorer like Kaprizov is a lot to ask.

Why it matters for Quinn Hughes

The Wild's chances of success depend on finding an extension for Hughes and trading for a key player. If they can't get an extension for Hughes, it will be a major blow to their chances of making a deep playoff run. The team's power play, which features Hughes, Kaprizov, and Boldy, is primed for a huge season. However, without Hughes, it will be difficult for the Wild to keep Kaprizov dangerous at 5-on-5.

What comes next?

The Wild will enter the season with some definite strengths, including Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Blake Coleman. However, the team's top lineup feels incomplete, and it's not just because of the Quinn Hughes situation. The Wild will play 15 of their first 26 games against teams that missed the postseason last year, and they'll have the opportunity to overwhelm their opponents with a loaded top line.

The power play triumvirate of Hughes, Kaprizov, and Boldy is primed for a huge season. However, without Hughes, it will be difficult for the Wild to keep Kaprizov dangerous at 5-on-5. The team's best bet might be to play Kaprizov, Eriksson Ek, and Boldy together full-time, but the Wild aren't doing that, at least not for a while.

The Wild will play the Colorado Avalanche at home on the day after Thanksgiving, then not again until March 17. Their first game against the Dallas Stars isn't until January 30. The team will have plenty of opportunities to overwhelm their opponents with a loaded top line, but it remains to be seen if they can follow through on their potential.

The Wild's roster purgatory will continue until they can find an extension for Hughes and trade for a key player. Until then, the team's chances of success will be uncertain.