David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Wild Owner: Team Will Get New Contract with Quinn Hughes

Posted on April 12, 2026April 12, 2026 by David Shama

The playoffs start next Saturday for the Minnesota Wild but that doesn’t mean there’s been no discussion about a contract extension for Quinn Hughes. Owner Craig Leipold and GM Bill Guerin have talked about making it happen.

The skilled defenseman, acquired during the season by the Wild from the Canucks, has helped elevate the club to a place among the elite teams in the NHL. “Quinn Hughes is a massive difference maker,” Leipold told Sports Headliners.

Hughes, who set a team record this season for most points by a defenseman (76), is in the fifth season of a six-year $47,100,000 deal. The 26-year-old, a past Norris Award winner recognizing the best defenseman in the NHL, is likely to excel for many more seasons and if he becomes a free agent after next season, he will be among the most coveted players in recent league history.

Hughes is also a workhorse, averaging a league best of over 27 minutes per game on the ice. He was tops in that category for the gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic team last winter.

Leipold sees Hughes’ long-term future in a Wild sweater. “He’s going to be our no. 1 goal…to get him signed and we will.”

Wild owner Craig Leipold — Craig Leipold

The next contract, of course, will include a large increase in compensation and perhaps more than six years in length. But the potential terms don’t seem to discourage the Wild’s owner who is willing to be patient in negotiations. “We’ll take it as long as he wants,” said Leipold who has owned Minnesota’s NHL team since 2008.

Leipold spoke about how Hughes enjoys playing for his new team and is a fan of his in-season home, Minnesota. Regarding prospects for a future signing of the Michigan native, Leipold said he “can’t imagine why he wouldn’t” do a new deal.

In the phone interview with Sports Headliners last Friday, Leipold praised the talent on the team including Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Brock Faber and his goalie tandem (Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt). “Yes, this is our best team (in franchise history),” Leipold said.

That franchise history dates back to the 2000-2001 season, but Leipold said no team has been as deep in talent as this one. He sees four quality lines where “everybody can score.” The defense is the best ever and the goalies form a quality rotation.

Ironically, though, the Wild plays in the Central Division against the NHL’s No. 1 ranked team, the Avalanche, and also the Stars, considered no worse than the third best. The Wild opens the playoffs against the Stars in Dallas on Saturday.

“We’re playing the two best teams in the National Hockey league. It’s going to be a tough one,” Leipold said about the prospect of getting by the Stars but then having to play the Avalanche.

The Wild and Stars split their season series with two wins each. The last Thursday night 5-4 loss in Dallas was frustrating.

“We know we can play with them,” Leipold said. “We should have won that game. You’re ahead by two (goals twice in the game). That’s happened too many times this year. In fact, this has happened at two (goal leads) throughout the league. A two-goal lead is no longer that safe.

“We have to play with more intensity. I think we have to be more defensively minded. And I think every game…is going to be a tossup against them. So, we’re going to have to get the edge.”

Leipold calls it “very unfortunate” that the Wild play in perhaps the NHL’s best division but said the positive is the competition “prepares you” for the playoffs.

The Wild hasn’t advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs since 2015 and that’s a factor in odds makers predicting the Stars will win the series.

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Stay Tuned on Niko Medved, Gophers Basketball Recruiting

Posted on April 8, 2026April 8, 2026 by David Shama

There’s a buzz, including with potential recruits, around Niko Medved’s University of Minnesota basketball program. Don’t be surprised at the program’s success during the transfer portal period that started yesterday and ends April 21.

It’s believed Medved will have a program high of over $7 million to pay players for next season. This is a combined pot of athletic department revenue share money and dollars from donors for Name, Image and Likeness.

Athletic departments in the Big Ten and elsewhere don’t disclose NIL budgets to pay players for activities such as TV commercials, social media endorsements and personal appearances. However, it’s believed the Gophers NIL budget for the coming year could be at least $3.5 million, with a similar amount coming from the U athletic department. Bottom line is Medved will have more money to work with than his first season and word is his budgets from the two sources put Minnesota in the middle range among the Big Ten’s 18 men’s basketball programs.

Niko Medved, Gophers hoops coach, photo by David Shama — Niko Medved

A lot of fans, particularly older generations, bemoan the recent development of paying players in several different sports including men’s basketball and football. But the truth is this allows the Gophers to generally recruit higher level talent than in the past. The Gophers are financially competitive with Big Ten rivals and superior to mid-major programs ranging from Appalachian State to Wichita State.

Hired in March of 2025, Medved showed coaching and culture building skills that suggest promise of making the Gophers a conference contender. The likeable and principled Minnesota native is a big hit with fans including program donors.

Just as important, the players enjoy the program. Evidence of such are his starters with remaining eligibility who are committed to new compensation deals and playing for the 2026-2027 team.

What Medved is trying to do now is fill out the roster around guard Isaac Asuma, and forwards Bobby Durkin, Grayson Grove and Jaylen Crocker-Johnson. It could be that transfers will include former Orono High guard Nolan Groves (Texas Tech) and guard Kyan Evans, who played for Medved at Colorado State prior to joining North Carolina.

Underline this prediction: in coming seasons the Gopher roster will include European players. Talent from overseas is becoming more prevalent in college basketball and Medved is a savvy recruiter with skills that include identifying under the radar talent.

Illinois’ roster included six European players this past season. The Illini made their way to the Final Four this spring. In an early top 25 teams for next season listing by The Athletic’s C.J. Moore, Illinois is No. 1.

The Gophers’ momentum in recruiting success and help for next season started months ago with a three-man recruiting class that 247Sports ranks No. 9 in the Big Ten. The talent meter will be going up with the 2026 freshmen class of four-star small forward Nolen Anderson (Wayzata) and two three-stars, center Chadrack Mpoyi (Crean Lutheran, Irvine, Calif.) and point guard Cedric Tomes (East Ridge).

Worth Noting

With its money and prestige, the Big Ten will be at the forefront of power teams in college football and basketball. Indiana won the national championship in football earlier this year and Michigan earned the national title in men’s basketball earlier this week.

In Moore’s top 25 for next year, he has Michigan No. 2 with Michigan State, Nebraska and Iowa also highly ranked.

Gophers departing senior Cade Tyson, the team’s leading scorer, will participate in the 72nd-annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, April 15-18 in Portsmouth, Virginia. Tyson is one of 64 men’s basketball seniors selected for the event, which is a showcase for pro basketball scouts.

Twins right-hander Taj Bradley is among the hottest pitchers in baseball with a 2-0 record and 1.08 ERA. With 22 strikeouts in 16.2 innings, only six other pitchers have whiffed more batters.

Bradley, in his first full season with the Twins, has won two of the club’s five games and could be part of a high quality big three starting staff next season if Minnesota doesn’t trade Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez recovers from arm surgery.

In what figures to be a playoff atmosphere tomorrow night in Dallas, the Stars host the Wild in what is likely to be a preview of a post season matchup of Central Division power houses. The Wild has won two of the previous three games this season and home ice in the playoffs is likely on the line.

Left wing Matt Boldy (2-2=4) and right-wing Vladimir Tarasenko (1-3=4) lead the Wild with four points each in the series. Left wing Kirill Kaprizov has three points (1-2=3).

The University of St. Thomas hires quality coaches, and it looks like the Tommies hit the bullseye with Mandy Pearson as the new women’s basketball coach. She won Coach of the Year awards during stretches at Minnesota Duluth and St. Mary’s (Minnesota)—two challenging places to win. She was a first team All-American at Concordia College (Minnesota).

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Timberwolves Remain Committed to Minneapolis Arena Site

Posted on April 6, 2026April 6, 2026 by David Shama

It continues to appear that Minneapolis will be the site of a new Timberwolves and Lynx arena. “This team will never leave here. We’re going to build down the street (from Target Center),” Alex Rodriguez told Sports Headliners almost two years ago.

At the time Rodriguez and partner Marc Lore were in litigation with Glen Taylor for control of the Wolves and Lynx franchises. Since then, the two have taken control of the franchises with Taylor no longer involved with ownership.

Timberwolves owner Alex Rodrgiuez — Alex Rodriguez

During an event at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management in February Rodriguez voiced his commitment to downtown, per a story by Jonathan Harrison on Si.com. A city insider, speaking on condition of anonymity, recently confirmed that commitment to Sports Headliners.

The source said Mayor Jacob Frey has shown a willingness to listen regarding a new arena. The insider added that Frey has appointed senior city officials to meet with basketball ownership representatives.

The source acknowledged much of the details regarding the project are yet to be known or committed to. Sources two years ago said or implied the arena site would be the Farmers Market near downtown. Neither Rodriguez or Frey has revealed a location.

Speculation about locations include City Center, the Star Tribune land in the North Loop and the Farmers Market. Regardless of location, it’s expected that the arena will be mostly or entirely privately financed.

Target Center, now owned by the city, was originally privately financed by Marv Wolfenson and Harvey Ratner. They bought the NBA expansion Timberwolves who began playing in 1989-1990, with their first season in the Metrodome before moving into the new Target Center. Wolfenson was proud of the city and initially considered naming the team the Minneapolis Polars, the nickname being a nod to his high school alma mater, the North Polars.

The city assumed ownership in 1995 with a deal made with Wolfenson and Ratner. Over the years city officials have realized the tax and parking revenue value of downtown sports and entertainment venues. During COVID, for example, the city coffers would have been badly hurt without Target Center, Target Field, U.S. Bank Stadium and theatre venues.

It’s believed the city and the basketball owners favor an arena anchoring an entertainment district. That sort of development will need public financing for endeavors such as land acquisition and roads.

While the city council has a less than enthusiastic reputation regarding big business, Frey could provide evidence to sway votes for some public funding. The State of Minnesota could issue bonds to help with an entertainment district project as an investment in jobs and tax revenues while trying to keep the state’s largest city safe and vibrant.

The Sports Headliners source referred to believes the state is likely to approve something like $200 million this spring to help renovate the home of the Wild, Grand Casino Arena and other facilities. That will help continue a precedent of state involvement with sports facilities in the Twin Cities.

The building of a new arena in Minneapolis could be five to eight years into the future. That time period could well coincide with the leadership of a new governor, likely Amy Klobuchar.

The source predicts that 2027 would be the earliest any plan is taken to the Legislature and Klobuchar could be supportive. The insider said Klobuchar recognizes the benefits of big-time sports including revenues that will benefit the city and state.

Target Center is the 29^th oldest NBA arena, exceeded in age only by venerable Madison Square Garden in New York. The facility doesn’t begin to compare with other modern palaces in the league that are creating significant revenue returns for team owners and communities.

Worth Noting

Vikings’ safety Harrison Smith has yet to announce whether he will play next season. What’s certain is there won’t be many more seasons ahead for the 37-year-old. At the No. 18 spot in the first round of this month’s NFL Draft, the Vikings might find it too tempting to resist Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman. He has size, speed and versatility, and is likely to be available in the 15 to 32 range of the first round.

It doesn’t take much noodling to figure out why University of Minnesota athletics director Mark Coyle parted ways with women’s hockey coach Brad Frost last month. The Wisconsin Badgers recently won a record ninth national championship, while the Gophers have won six NCAA titles and none since 2016. New Gopher hire Greg “Boom” May faces the highest of expectations with Coyle on record as saying the Minnesota position “is the best coaching job in the country.”

Minnesota icon Dick Jonckowski will do comedy and play his trombone kazoo starting about 8:30 p.m. April 11 at Mancini’s Char House in St. Paul, appearing prior to the Mancini’s band. “The Polish Eagle,” 82, has been entertaining at nursing homes and said he doesn’t take offense when audience members nod off.

Former Gopher basketball player Walter Bond and his wife Antoinette have co-authored a new book: “Accelerate a Champion’s Playbook to Fast-Track Your Business Success.” Bond is a longtime popular motivational speaker.

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