The Minnesota Wild made one of the boldest swings in the NHL this season when they acquired Quinn Hughes ahead of the trade deadline, sacrificing multiple assets without any guarantee the star defenceman would commit beyond next season.

Less than 48 hours after Minnesota’s season ended in a second-round loss to the Colorado Avalanche, Hughes indicated that he could envision a long-term future in the state of hockey.

“I really like it here. I think that I would definitely be open to re-signing,” Hughes told reporters Friday. “I love the team. I love the city and the fans. Being in that locker room was a special group.”

The Wild paid a significant price to acquire Hughes. As part of the blockbuster trade with the Vancouver Canucks, Minnesota sent forwards Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, plus defenceman Zeev Buium and the 24^th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft the other way to Vancouver.

Despite the disappointing playoff exit to the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche, Hughes glowed about both the organization and the culture Minnesota has built around its core group.

The 26-year-old’s relationship with general manager Bill Guerin and the organization’s championship aspirations were major factors cited by Hughes in his early impression of the Wild.

“I have a lot of trust with Billy and respect him,” Hughes said. “I think the way he views building a championship team are the players that we need.”

While Hughes expressed difficulty fully processing the future so soon after being eliminated from the playoffs, he said that conversations with family will play an important role before any decision is made.

At the same time, the former Canucks captain has repeatedly spoken positively about both the organization and the city of St. Paul. Hughes noted he had previously visited Minnesota to see close friend Brock Boeser, and that he hopes to spend more time there this offseason before heading home to Michigan.

“You can feel how much people care about hockey here and how badly they want to win,” he said.

Following Hughes’ arrival, Minnesota entered the postseason as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. But injuries to Jonas Brodin and Joel Eriksson Ek, along with the depth of the Avs, proved too much for the Wild to overcome as they fell in five games.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has previously suggested that Hughes might sign a 3-year extension with the Wild. For what it’s worth, that would line up with when his brother Jack Hughes’ contract is set to expire with the New Jersey Devils.

Still, Hughes’ latest comments suggest that Bill Guerin’s gamble might be enough to convince one of the NHL’s premier defencemen to remain part of its long-term future.