Wild acquire Nyquist from Predators for 2nd-round pick

The Minnesota Wild acquired forward Gustav Nyquist from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick, the teams announced Saturday.

The Predators are retaining 50% of Nyquist's $3.185-million cap hit, bringing his cost down to just under $1.6 million. He can become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.

Nashville held Nyquist out of Saturday's clash against the New York Islanders for health reasons in the event of a trade.

Minnesota has been hammered by injuries all season long. Key forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek are currently sidelined, so Nyquist's addition will help ease the blow.

Nyquist has recorded nine goals - four of which have been empty-netters - and 21 points in 57 games this campaign for the struggling Predators. He logged a career-high 52 assists and 75 points in 81 outings in 2023-24.

This will be his second stint in Minnesota. The Wild acquired Nyquist as a rental prior to the 2023 trade deadline, and he added five points in three regular-season games plus five assists in six playoff outings.

He didn't re-sign with the Central Division club after that season, instead joining the Predators on a two-year deal in free agency.

The 35-year-old represented Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off earlier in February, chipping in one goal against the United States.

Nyquist is in the midst of his 13th NHL season. He's amassed 207 goals and 524 points in 841 games split between the Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Wild, and Predators.

Detroit selected him in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL Draft.

Nashville entered Saturday's action in 30th place overall with a 21-30-7 record and virtually no chance of making the playoffs. Minnesota, meanwhile, is in third place of the Central Division with a 34-22-4 mark, but the club was in a battle for first place in the league earlier in the campaign.