The Minnesota Wild have signed head coach John Hynes to a multiyear contract extension, the club announced on Tuesday. Hynes had been entering the final year of his current deal to mark his third full season with the Wild, having replaced Dean Evanson partway through the 2023-24 campaign. The new pact will kick in for 2027-28.
Since Hynes took over behind the bench, Minnesota has a 125-78-24 regular season record and is 7-10 through two playoff appearances. The Wild advanced to a second-round series last year for the first time since 2014-15, before being outclassed there by the Presidents Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche in a five-game ouster.
General manager Bill Guerin was complimentary of Hynes during his end-of-season availability in May. "I'm a big believer in John and what he does and how he operates," Guerin said. "I see it firsthand ... If you could have seen the detail of the work and the time that these guys put in [during a series] to make those adjustments, to deliver the message to the team. That's why I believe in John.
Guerin has been open about seeing this stretch as the Wild's window to chase a Stanley Cup, and has been aggressive in making moves to boost Minnesota's chances, including the blockbuster acquisition of star defenseman Quinn Hughes from Vancouver last December. Hughes is eligible now to sign an extension with Minnesota ahead of becoming a free agent on July 1, 2027.
The meeting with the Avalanche marked the first second-round appearance for one of Hynes' teams in his decade-long NHL coaching career, with his other five trips to the playoffs all one-and-done showings. The Wild open their 2026-27 regular season on Oct. 1 against one of Hynes' former clubs, the Nashville Predators.
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