{"id":395581,"date":"2026-01-08T17:30:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T17:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/395581\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T17:30:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T17:30:10","slug":"how-has-quinn-hughes-made-the-wild-so-dangerous-so-quickly-diving-deep-on-his-first-12-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/395581\/","title":{"rendered":"How has Quinn Hughes made the Wild so dangerous so quickly? Diving deep on his first 12 games"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Michael Russo<\/a>, Joe Smith<\/a> and Shayna Goldman<\/a><\/p>\n

All it took was 16 seconds. That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n

Joel Eriksson Ek lost a faceoff, the puck was cleared the length of the ice, and 16 seconds later, Eriksson Ek stunned the Los Angeles Kings by roofing a semi breakaway after Quinn Hughes caught the Kings\u2019 penalty kill sleeping, sending a pass from the Minnesota Wild zone to Eriksson Ek\u2019s blade at the offensive blue line, tape-to-tape.<\/p>\n

How did Hughes do it?<\/p>\n

\u201cEkky just made a good play,\u201d the Wild\u2019s new superstar defenseman said, deflecting all credit. \u201cHe was able to get his feet moving and beat the guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

But how did Eriksson-Ek know where to be?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s on the pre-scout, I\u2019m sure,\u201d Hughes added.<\/p>\n

Shortly after that comment, The Athletic caught up with Eriksson Ek to see if it was true that the Wild executed the play because it was recognized on the pre-scout.<\/p>\n

He laughed.<\/p>\n

Maybe just Hughes\u2019 pre-scout, to be frank.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told me before,\u201d Eriksson Ek said.<\/p>\n

Before when?<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore the faceoff,\u201d Eriksson Ek said, smiling. \u201cWe talked about \u2014 like, if it\u2019s open, he\u2019s going to make that pass, and that\u2019s how it played out. He probably saw something the first couple breakouts that it was open, and he made a great pass. That\u2019s why after the goal you can see I was looking for him with my mouth open. I couldn\u2019t believe it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Told that Sportlogiq\u2019s Mike Kelly has charted Hughes with a league-leading 146 completed stretch passes this season, Eriksson Ek said, \u201cI\u2019m not surprised because of how hard he passes, how good his vision is and how smart he is.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can see why trading for Hughes has been a game-changer for the Wild, who are 7-2-3 with a league-high 47 goals in 12 games since his Dec. 14 debut. He is as dynamic as it gets, and his early impact \u2014 from stretch passes to puck retrievals to the power play \u2014 is showing exactly why management was willing to make a trade of this magnitude.<\/p>\n

To better assess his impact, let\u2019s dive deep on the video and analytics from his first 12 games.<\/p>\n

The Wild didn\u2019t acquire Hughes for shutdown play. That\u2019s one area they\u2019ve generally been sound, ranking in the top five in five-on-five expected goal suppression in each of the past five seasons, per Evolving-Hockey.<\/p>\n

And Hughes isn\u2019t best known for that side of his game, either. With the Vancouver Canucks, the hardest matchup minutes were generally given to Tyler Myers\u2019 pair.<\/p>\n

But Minnesota isn\u2019t shying away from putting Hughes in defensive situations, challenging its new defensemen with some of the toughest opponents alongside Brock Faber.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t think Quinn Hughes can defend, you\u2019re nuts,\u201d TSN\u2019s Craig Button said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the biggest thing I\u2019ve learned playing with him,\u201d Wild star Kirill Kaprizov said.<\/p>\n

Take Hughes\u2019 first game in a Wild sweater, when he was tasked with going head-to-head with David Pastrnak for 9:28 at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick<\/a>. In that time, the Wild led 13-11 in shot attempts, had 82 percent of the expected goal share and outscored the Boston Bruins 1-0.<\/p>\n

Days later, Hughes faced an even bigger test: Connor McDavid. Instead of opting for their usual matchup of Jonas Brodin against McDavid, the Wild sent out Hughes to play 12:34 against the best player in the world at five-on-five \u2014 and he held his own. Minnesota led 17-13 in shot attempts (13-6 on goal), with 75 percent of the expected-goal share and up 1-0 in scoring.<\/p>\n

Through 12 games with the Wild, Hughes isn\u2019t just showing he has the chops to play tough minutes. He is excelling in them. The team is giving up 0.16 fewer expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five, relative to his teammates, per Evolving-Hockey. If he keeps up at that pace, he could jump into the Norris conversation<\/a> and challenge Cale Makar for the crown.<\/p>\n

The big thing is that, unlike the Canucks, the Wild are trusting him to shut down the opponents\u2019 best, even though he doesn\u2019t fit the traditional mold for that role.<\/p>\n

Players like Hughes and Makar are forcing the hockey world to rethink the position with an approach that emphasizes smart positioning, finding ways to shift from defense to offense and dominating puck possession. Even top opponents can\u2019t generate chances if the puck is always on Hughes\u2019 stick, and according to Sportlogiq, Hughes has had the puck on his stick for a league-leading 145 minutes, 58 seconds this season.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople think that a defenseman being aggressive defensively would mean getting in there (and) being physical,\u201d NHL Network\u2019s Mike Rupp said. \u201cAll those attributes he has on the offensive side, he uses on the defensive side too.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuinn has the puck so long all over the ice surface that he just baits you in, baits you in, and you\u2019re drifting out of position. \u2026 If he moves the puck really quick, now I\u2019m adjusting. I\u2019m moving. He almost lulls you into like, \u2018Hey, follow me.\u2019 He takes you for a walk a little bit. He gets all five guys out of position because he holds onto it for so long.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hughes\u2019 anticipation and shifty skating contribute to his defensive strengths. He retrieves a lot of pucks in his own zone, and he doesn\u2019t turn the puck over much once he has it, which takes a lot of risk out of his team\u2019s defensive coverage. That is something this season\u2019s team was missing in Minnesota.<\/p>\n

Hughes is also an ace at turning those retrievals into zone exits, with a rate of 12.5 exits per 60 minutes at five-on-five in Minnesota that puts him in line with Makar, Devon Toews, Seth Jones and his own pace from Vancouver earlier this season, per All Three Zones. If there isn\u2019t space for him to break out, Hughes can lean on his skating to reload, even when under pressure.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s like that cheat code,\u201d Rupp said.<\/p>\n

That shiftiness can create room for him \u2014 and time for his teammates to get in position for a pass.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just his edges, his skating, his decision-making,\u201d Hughes\u2019 friend and Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk explained. \u201cThe way he angles and has a good stick and doesn\u2019t give you any time and space because he\u2019s angling you out. Then he\u2019s got the puck and he\u2019s breaking it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Few players exit the zone at Hughes\u2019 pace, and whether he skates it out himself or sends a pass to a teammate, he keeps his team in control. That play-driving has added a new element to Minnesota\u2019s attack, as the Wild\u2019s other mainstays aren\u2019t the most active bunch. Instead of chipping the puck out, the team is holding possession and spending less time chasing the play.<\/p>\n

And Wild forwards are reading off Hughes, quickly adjusting to his play in transition.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not the one to rush passes and things like that. He really opens things up himself. To gather speed when you\u2019re kind of in the neutral zone, and he\u2019s kind of coming out with the puck,\u201d Wild winger Marcus Foligno said. \u201cHe\u2019s so poised. Don\u2019t kind of rush to your spot. Let him do his thing and get different options for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just getting it out of the defensive zone. It\u2019s also getting it into an offensive attack. Beyond elite speed, Hughes\u2019 ability to process the game separates him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe sees where the outlets are,\u201d Button said. \u201cHe sees where the opportunities are on the attack. His mental speed is faster than his physical speed.\u201d<\/p>\n

And, Button added, Hughes doesn\u2019t have tendencies opponents can focus on.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s like, \u2018You\u2019re going to play me like this? Good, I\u2019ll do this,\u2019\u201d Button said. \u201cWhen you\u2019re playing against Quinn Hughes, you\u2019re in contain mode.\u201d<\/p>\n

It reminds him of a player on the other side of the 2000 Stanley Cup Final, when he was an executive with the Dallas Stars.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe played New Jersey in 2000,\u201d Button said. \u201cAt the end of the series, it came down to simply this. We had no answer for Scott Niedermayer. If we tried to forecheck him, he passed the puck over. If we tried to lay off him, he tore the puck up the ice. If we tried to give him layers, he found the in-between layers. We had no answer. He was too far ahead. Too good. That\u2019s Quinn.\u201d<\/p>\n

And that is transforming the Wild\u2019s five-on-five offense.<\/p>\n

Despite being middle-of-the-road in shot quality (with 2.66 expected goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five, per Evolving-Hockey<\/a>), Minnesota sat 30th in the NHL in actual goals (2.08) per 60 before Hughes\u2019 debut. The upswing since has been dramatic. The Wild rank ninth in that span in expected goals per 60 at five-on-five (3.03) and are outscoring that with 3.20 goals per 60, good for sixth.<\/p>\n

Since the trade, Hughes is tied for the third-most points in the NHL amongst defensemen with 12, and the Wild have a league-leading 39 points by defensemen, with 7.8 shots per game from defensemen. Before the trade, Wild defensemen had 54 points (29th in the NHL), were a combined plus-9 and averaged 0.469 points per game.<\/p>\n

Hughes\u2019 transition game is having a direct impact on how the Wild generate scoring chances in transition \u2014 much-needed for a team that was below-average in rush chances last season, according to All Three Zones.<\/p>\n

He quarterbacks the team at even strength and on the power play, anticipating how play will develop and finding openings.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you can give him the puck, you give him the puck,\u201d Wild leading goal scorer Matt Boldy said. \u201cAnd you try to get open and make it easier for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the offensive zone, Hughes\u2019 feet are always moving. He plays with a lot of pace, and that has injected tempo into the Wild\u2019s offensive attack.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s awesome watching him back there, whether there\u2019s breakouts, or on the offensive side, the communication,\u201d Wild captain Jared Spurgeon said.<\/p>\n

Opponents are often left watching, too. Just watch how many Capitals defenders zone in on Hughes:<\/p>\n

Then even with all the attention, he finds ways to thread passes to teammates.<\/p>\n

Hughes\u2019 9.80 primary passes per 60 minutes at five-on-five since joining the Wild lead the league, according to All Three Zones tracking. The next-best rate on the season also belongs to Hughes, pre-trade, when he generated at a clip of 9.59 per 60 in Vancouver.<\/p>\n

Sometimes it\u2019s his shot that gets a play going, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe one thing with Hughes that makes it so hard is his mobility at the offensive blue line \u2014 so he can find shot lanes, and he\u2019s got a quick-release delivery,\u201d Hynes said. \u201cAnd then the other thing is he shoots for tips.\u201d<\/p>\n

The results are eye-popping: Hughes has helped the Wild generate 3.45 expected goals per 60 minutes when he\u2019s on the ice, which is a boost of plus-0.59 relative to his teammates. That has translated on the scoresheet to a rate of 4.20 goals per 60 (plus-1.68, which is one of the best marks in the league).<\/p>\n

Those are career-high numbers for Hughes, though a smaller sample size likely contributes to that. Those numbers could come back down to Earth. But there is also a path to sustaining this elite offensive level as Hughes generates more chemistry with his new teammates. The team is only just learning his tendencies, and he is only starting to get familiar with theirs.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe makes it easier for you to play,\u201d Wild veteran Mats Zuccarello said. \u201cObviously, he hasn\u2019t been here for that long \u2026 to get to know our players and for us to, but I think he\u2019s done a hell of a job. You can see it: he makes it easier for everyone around.\u201d<\/p>\n

That extends to special-teams situations, too. The Wild\u2019s power play has been inconsistent this season, but Hughes\u2019 arrival adds a significant punch.<\/p>\n

Zeev Buium, sent to Vancouver in the Hughes package, was given a chance to start the year as the No. 1 power play quarterback. He showed some flashes, but the Wild took him off weeks into the season in order to get Brock Faber going \u2014 and it certainly did for a lengthy stretch.<\/p>\n

The problem is the power play was absolutely flat at the time of the trade. In the month leading up to it, the Wild had only scored at a rate of 3.32 goals per 60 minutes in 15 games, ranking 30th in the league over that span.<\/p>\n

Hughes instantly changed that, leading the way to three power-play goals against the Bruins in just 5:27 of opportunity. The team scored another three power-play goals in his next three outings.<\/p>\n

That initial impact has slowed (to 7.25 goals per 60 minutes of power-play time since the trade), but the team is still generating chances at a higher rate since his arrival, with 10.5 expected goals per 60.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe can get involved and move all over the zone and hang on there longer than most (defensemen) would because he\u2019s so confident in his ability to get back,\u201d said Rupp, a long-time penalty-killer as a player. \u201cAs a PKer, when the puck goes up top, you see the defenseman moving around, it gives you a second to recalibrate and get in your intersections and your lanes and try to take a deep breath. I don\u2019t think he allows you to do that.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a more hectic time for the PK because you\u2019ve got to come out at him and make him make a play. But he also slams the brakes on and takes one step \u2014 he\u2019s by you. A lot of times he ad-libs, and he\u2019s unpredictable, so he\u2019s a nightmare for a penalty kill.\u201d<\/p>\n

Add it all up, and Hughes has turned the Wild from a playoff team into a\u00a0serious Cup contender.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re a hell of a lot closer,\u201d Button said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMuch, much closer,\u201d said Rupp, who didn\u2019t think they were in the same tier as the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars or maybe even Tampa Bay Lightning before the trade. \u201cAnd I don\u2019t think (general manager Bill Guerin) is done.\u201d<\/p>\n

No, he almost certainly isn\u2019t. You don\u2019t give up four giant pieces for a star defenseman with only a year and a half left on his contract without being ready to take another big swing.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll find out if it connects before the March 6 trade deadline.<\/p>\n

For now, Hughes has given the Wild a chance to be a true contender, as evidenced most simply by their 3.92 goals per game (second best in the NHL) since his debut, compared to 2.81 goals in the season\u2019s first 32 games (25th).<\/p>\n

If Guerin can find that top-six center to add, too, the Wild really could enter a new stratosphere.<\/p>\n

All stats prior to Wednesday night\u2019s games. Data via Evolving-Hockey<\/a>, HockeyViz<\/a>, HockeyStatCards<\/a>, All Three Zones<\/a> and Natural Stat Trick<\/a>. This story relies on shot-based metrics; here is a primer<\/a> on these numbers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Michael Russo, Joe Smith and Shayna Goldman All it took was 16 seconds. That\u2019s it. Joel Eriksson…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":395582,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[4828,385,99],"class_list":{"0":"post-395581","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nhl","8":"tag-minnesota-wild","9":"tag-nhl","10":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/395581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=395581"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/395581\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/395582"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=395581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=395581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=395581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}