The Columbus Blue Jackets have made a Gustav Nyquist trade to the Minnesota Wild. This is a surprise move with Nyquist currently on LTIR. The Wild are currently fairly comfortable in the playoffs, sitting in third in the Central Division.
Hearing the #MNWild have acquired Gustav Nyquist.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) February 28, 2023
The Columbus Blue Jackets Trade Forward Gustav Nyquist
The Gustav Nyquist trade is a risky maneuver at this juncture of the season. Currently, he is out of action with an upper-body injury. However, he may return for the playoffs. He has never been a big scorer in the playoffs, with just five goals, and 16 assists in 65 career playoff matches. Prior to the trade this season for the Columbus Blue Jackets he has recorded 10 goals, and 12 assists for 22 points in 48 games. He is somewhat removed from the player that saw him record 20 goals, four times in his career. Despite that, he has always been a strong analytics player and has a 1.6 CF% Rel for a struggling Blue Jackets team this season.
What This Means for the Wild
If Nyquist can bounce back for the playoffs, this is a great depth-forward pickup. Minnesota has been looking for support up front, still trying to fill the void of losing Kevin Fiala in the off-season. Adding a smart and skilled player like Nyquist, we fit well with the speedy and skilled forwards. Again, this is assuming he can come back from injury and be effective. If not, this could be a result of just giving up some future benefits to the Blue Jackets. Conversely, it could be a tryout of sorts for the Wild. They may be interested in signing the veteran come free agency.
What This Mean for Columbus
This Gustav Nyquist trade is a good attempt by the Columbus Blue Jackets. They are trying to turn a player having a disappointing season on a team having a disappointing to an asset. Also, it was a smart move by General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen, as Nyquist was set to become a free agent after the season. Moreover, this is a franchise looking toward the future. They have stars like Johnny Gaudreau, and with young players like Kent Johnson, they might also be looking at a high draft pick. The 2023 NHL entry draft is thought to have high-end forwards at the top, so wherever the Jackets find themselves, they should add another dynamic, young star.
Main Photo: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports
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