FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — When Tampa Bay winger Scott Sabourin delivered a hard and unnecessary hit on Minnesota Wild star defender Quinn Hughes on Tuesday, it accomplished something important. And likely not what Sabourin had in mind.
If the physicality was designed to take out, or intimidate, one of Minnesota’s most vital players, it failed. But the immediate aftermath of the hit sent an important message to the Lightning, and future foes, about this Wild team.
Minnesota Wild left wing Nick Foligno (71) punches Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Scott Sabourin (46) as they fight during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Almost immediately, Sabourin and Wild winger Nick Foligno were squared off at center ice with fists flying. Sabourin emerged bloodied from the fisticuffs, and the Wild emerged having said this to anyone watching:
Mess with us, and there will be repercussions.
“Obviously, when they take a run at Hughesy there, there’s going to be a price to pay for that, right,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “That’s, I think, part of being a good team. Sometimes there’s different elements of hockey that bring teams together. Some of it’s off-ice, some if it’s on-ice.
“I think sticking up for each other and making sure teams aren’t going to take liberties with any of our players is an important factor down the stretch here.”
Hughes, for his part, said he doesn’t like teammates having to fight for him. But it is an accepted part of hockey’s code that if you go after a smaller player, you’re going to get a response from a bigger player, and it can be effective.
“I just feel like when teams have that, that’s usually the teams you see go far and deep,” Hughes said before playing his 500th career game on Thursday night in Sunrise, Fla. “Just ultra-competitive guys, men that stuck up for each other and don’t take any (guff) from the other team.”
It’s worth noting that two of the Wild’s trade deadline additions — Nick Foligno and Michael McCarron — bring muscle and can play the protector role when needed. After his fight in Tampa, Foligno said it was his turn to protect a teammate. McCarron also had a first period fight versus the Lightning, and said the message they are sending is vital as the playoffs approach.
“I think it’s huge,” said McCarron, who stands 6-foot-6 before the skates go on. “(Every team) that has gone the distance recently has had that ability on their team. Great for Nick to step up there.”
McCarron admitted that one of his jobs is to play physically against the opponents’ skill players, but there’s a vague agreement among players of when gritty becomes dirty. The latter will bring a response.
“Guys try to go after our best players; we try to go after theirs,” McCarron said. “But at the end of the day, sometimes you have to answer for it, and we have some meat on our team that can take care of that stuff.”