Penguins trade Bjugstad to Wild for conditional draft pick

The Pittsburgh Penguins traded forward Nick Bjugstad to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a conditional draft pick in 2021, the team announced Friday.

The Pens are retaining 50% of Bjugstad's $4.1-million cap hit, which is set to expire after the 2020-21 season, reports Sarah McLellan of The Star Tribune. Pittsburgh will receive a 2021 seventh-rounder if Bjugstad plays in 70 games or tallies 35 points.

Bjugstad was limited to 13 games due to injury during the 2019-20 campaign and tallied just two points. He recently underwent back surgery but is expected to be ready for next season, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.

The 28-year-old averaged 16 goals, 34 points, and 69 games per season from 2013-14 to 2018-19. Bjugstad is capable of playing both center and wing and brings considerable size at 6-foot-6, 215 pounds. He's also a right-handed shot, which the Wild have very few of up front.

Bjugstad was included in the February 2019 trade that sent him and Jared McCann from the Florida Panthers to Pittsburgh in exchange for Derick Brassard, Riley Sheahan, a 2019 second-round pick, and two 2019 fourth-round picks.

This trade represents a homecoming for Bjugstad. Not only is he from Minneapolis, Minnesota, but he also played his college hockey with the Golden Gophers.