Early numbers loud for Wild's Hughes, but his plans remain quiet

For all of his on-ice flash, Quinn Hughes is reserved once the skates come off. His answers are often clipped. He is all business in his approach to hockey and with the media. During seemingly every game this season, the Minnesota Wild have sent out an update on what team or NHL record Hughes happens to be threatening or breaking. He set a franchise record for points by a defenseman last season, recording 53 despite playing just 48 games in Minnesota. With two more assists in Thursday s 5-4 win over St. Louis, Hughes now owns the franchise record for a scoring streak to start a season with 12 points in eight games. His 1.5 points per game pace would give him 126 by season s end. He may be hard to hear in a media scrum, but he is impossible to ignore on the ice. I mean, he s a special player. His patience with it. The way he controls, even if he likes the whole play, said Blues captain Robert Thomas. Gives them a ton of time and space and speed entering the zone.