Quinn Hughes is projected to record nine goals and 79 assists for 88 points with the Minnesota Wild during the 2026-27 NHL season.
That projection places Hughes within striking distance of the 90-point mark and firmly among the first defensemen fantasy hockey managers should consider on draft day. It is an aggressive forecast, but it is not based on name recognition alone. Hughes produced 53 points in 48 regular-season games after Minnesota acquired him from the Vancouver Canucks, giving him a 1.10 points-per-game scoring rate with the Wild. He finished the full season with seven goals, 69 assists and 76 points in 74 games.
The exciting part for fantasy managers is that Hughes accomplished that without the benefit of a full training camp or an entire season inside Minnesota’s system. He now enters 2026-27 knowing the personnel, breakout structure and preferred tendencies of the forwards playing in front of him. That additional familiarity could make an already dangerous power play even more productive.
Quinn Hughes 2026-27 Fantasy Hockey Point Projection
| Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Power-Play Points | Shots | Blocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82 | 9 | 79 | 88 | 36 | 205 | 92 |
My projection model gives additional weight to Hughes’ performance after arriving in Minnesota. It combines 55 percent of his 1.10 points-per-game Wild scoring rate with 45 percent of his 1.03 full-season scoring rate. That creates an adjusted scoring expectation of approximately 1.07 points per game.
Applying that rate to 82 projected appearances produces roughly 88 points. The NHL has expanded the 2026-27 schedule to 84 games per team, providing Hughes with two additional opportunities to accumulate assists, shots, blocks and power-play production.
Why Quinn Hughes Can Reach 88 Points With Minnesota
Hughes’ greatest fantasy weapon remains his ability to create assists from the blue line. He does not need to score 15 or 20 goals to contend for the defenseman scoring lead because so much of Minnesota’s offence can run through his skating and puck distribution.
The projection assumes Hughes continues quarterbacking a top power-play group featuring dangerous finishers such as Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy. Joel Eriksson Ek can create traffic around the crease, while Ryan Hartman provides another competitive net-front and retrieval option. Hughes can manipulate penalty killers with lateral movement before finding Kaprizov, Boldy or a shooting lane through traffic.
Hughes led NHL defensemen with 34 power-play points last season. He also generated 187 shots and 87 blocked shots, giving fantasy managers useful secondary-category production alongside his elite assists.
The most encouraging number may be his 53 points in 48 games after the trade. That pace would translate to approximately 93 points over the new 84-game schedule. My 88-point prediction intentionally builds in some regression and missed-game risk rather than simply carrying that pace forward.
Quinn Hughes Career NHL Stats
| Type | GP | G | A | P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 507 | 66 | 419 | 485 | 27 |
| Playoffs | 41 | 6 | 35 | 41 | 9 |
Quinn Hughes’ Fantasy Hockey Draft Value
I would rank Hughes as a top-three fantasy defenseman entering the season and a legitimate second-round selection in standard formats. In leagues that heavily reward assists and power-play points, he deserves consideration even earlier.
The primary concern is workload. Hughes averaged an NHL-leading 27:44 of ice time after joining Minnesota and continued to play enormous minutes during the postseason. That deployment creates exceptional scoring opportunities, but fantasy managers must account for the physical demands of carrying such a heavy role.
There is also some goal-scoring volatility. Hughes recorded only seven goals last season despite putting 187 shots on net. A modest improvement in shooting percentage could push him toward nine or 10 goals, but his fantasy value will continue to be driven primarily by assists and power-play production.
My expected range is 82 to 92 points, with an upside scenario above 95 if Hughes remains healthy, plays at least 82 games and Minnesota’s power play finishes among the league’s most productive units. A season below 80 points would likely require an injury or a significant decline in team power-play efficiency.
The final projection is nine goals, 79 assists and 88 points. That would make Quinn Hughes one of the most valuable fantasy defensemen in hockey and an essential part of Minnesota’s pursuit of a Stanley Cup.
Find the Latest Minnesota Wild News and Fantasy Hockey Updates
Stay updated with the latest Minnesota Wild news, NHL trade rumours and Quinn Hughes fantasy hockey analysis throughout the season. While you are here, join our NHL Fantasy Hockey Pool to test your GM skills against other fans and compete for ultimate bragging rights. You can also find out what channel the MN Wild game is on TV today through our website. Add nhltraderumor.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletter below.
