ST. PAUL, Minn. — The recent contract extension signed by Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, which sets a new benchmark for NHL defensemen salaries, could influence ongoing negotiations between the Minnesota Wild and their star blueliner Quinn Hughes.

Makar agreed to an eight-year, $163.2 million deal that commences on July 1, with an average annual value (AAV) of $20.4 million. This contract makes him the first NHL defenseman to sign for an average salary exceeding $20 million, just shy of the league’s maximum allowable cap hit of $20.8 million for the 2026-27 season.

Hughes, a Norris Trophy winner entering the final year of his contract, will become an unrestricted free agent next July unless he reaches an extension with the Wild beforehand. If Hughes signs before July 1, his maximum salary is capped at 20 percent of the projected salary cap for 2026-27, equivalent to $20.8 million AAV. Delaying his signing until after July 1 would allow a maximum AAV of $22.7 million based on the projected $113.5 million cap for 2027-28, though he would then be limited to a maximum six-year deal rather than the eight years Makar secured.

Term length remains a key consideration. While the Wild’s owner Craig Leipold has indicated the team would prefer a longer deal, Hughes appears inclined to seek a shorter term, possibly around three years. Leipold suggested the parties might meet somewhere near five years. Discussions have been ongoing throughout the summer, with the Wild confident an agreement can be reached before the season begins later this month.

Hughes has been training away from Minnesota, preparing in Michigan and Florida, and is expected to return to St. Paul soon after participating in the NHL and players’ union media tour in Las Vegas alongside teammate Matt Boldy.

The salary landscape for top NHL defensemen has shifted considerably over the past year, complicating contract negotiations. Makar’s recently established salary threshold eclipses the previous highest defenseman contract held by Chicago Blackhawks’ Bowen Byram, whose six-year, $75 million extension will begin in the 2027-28 season.

Financial pressure is intensified by the Wild’s prior trade investment to acquire Hughes, which included multiple first-round draft picks. General Manager and president of hockey operations Bill Guerin has stressed the franchise’s urgency to capitalize on its current competitive window. Hughes’s signing, along with the Wild’s earlier landmark deal with star forward Kirill Kaprizov, are central to the team’s efforts to maintain its core roster.

Kaprizov’s recent eight-year, $136 million contract, which averaged $17 million annually and featured a heavy front-loaded signing bonus structure, serves as a precedent within the organization. Hughes may seek a similar arrangement, with substantial signing bonuses that would represent a significant financial commitment for the team.

Projections this summer placed Hughes’s market value at approximately $17.5 million AAV on a three-year deal, $17.7 million for five years, and $17.8 million over eight years. Nonetheless, factors such as the Wild’s internal imperative to retain Hughes, Makar’s new salary standard, and Kaprizov’s recent contract may reduce the influence of these estimates.

Recent comparable deals for elite young players—including the Philadelphia Flyers’ offer of $18 million AAV for Anaheim Ducks forward Leo Carlsson, which was matched by Anaheim, and Macklin Celebrini’s five-year contract averaging $18.8 million per year—reflect the upward pressure on salaries for top talent.

Hughes currently earns $8.25 million this season, carrying a cap hit of $7.85 million. As one of the league’s premier defensemen alongside Makar, his forthcoming contract is expected to align with this new tier of elite compensation.