The Minnesota Wild acquire Oskar Sundqvist from the Detroit Red Wings for a 2023 fourth-round pick.
The Minnesota Wild acquire Oskar Sundqvist from the Detroit Red Wings for a 2023 fourth-round pick.
The Detroit Red Wings are staying busy.
After dealing Filip Hronek and Tyler Bertuzzi this past week, Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman has traded Oskar Sundqvist to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a 2023 fourth-round pick.
Sundqvist, 28, has recorded seven goals, 21 points and averaged in 52 games this season while averaging 14:16 in ice time. The Swedish forward carries a $2,750,000 cap hit and will be a UFA this summer.
With Detroit punting on the year, they can’t afford to pass up any opportunity to get assets — especially for expiring UFAs. Having a depth forward for the stretch run of the regular season does not outweigh the pros of netting a draft pick. And hey, maybe they re-sign Sundqvist in the off-season? Crazier things have happened.
Minnesota’s direction isn’t necessarily clear, either. They’ve been buying draft picks — acting as third-party brokers for trades — but they’re still very much in the playoff hunt. So in a way, they’re giving their team a piece that helps them this year without giving up much capital — basically just flipping over the pick they acquired from being a broker to get a player that can help them now.