General box scores can be tricky when it comes to evaluating a player's performance. Stats like goals, assists and shots can tell a story whether or not a guy is producing. Whereas, plus-minus, block shots and hits are general box score stats that point to a guy being good defensively or not.
But when a guy has zeros across the board, it's hard to come up with a conclusion on how he has played so you have to look to analytics.
Well that is Wild forward Gustav Nyquist.
In four games this playoff series for Minnesota, Nyquist has zero goals, zero assists, zero points, a plus/minus rating of zero, one shot, two blocked shots and two hits. In four games, Nyquist has averaged 12:12 of ice time. His highest box score stat is giveaways at four.
Wild head coach John Hynes was asked about Nyquist's lack of production.
"I think you're always going to go back to a guy and talk about production. I think sometimes, when you go through playoff series that some guys score earlier, get points early and sometimes they don't," Hynes said. "Hopefully you can keep playing, and the series extends and you continue to be able to play, and guys can find their foot in that respect."
If the Wild want to extend their playoff run they are going to need some production from Nyquist. You can't expect one line to carry a team through a round or even multiple rounds. You need production from others.
And when you trade a 2026 second-round pick for a forward, you would expect some production.
Right?
Since the trade, Nyquist has produced zero 5-on-5 goals in 26 games with the Wild and has just one in his last 74 games played. In 182 days, Nyquist has one 5-on-5 goal. He has just one shot in four games in the playoffs to try and help that cause.
That shot came in game one of the first period.
It has been 12 periods since he got a shot. Or, 244:20 of game time since Nyquist last recorded his shot which was 95 feet away from the net. Which means it happened between the center ice line and the defensive zone blue line.
Despite lack of production Hynes is happy to have a player like Nyquist in the lineup over a young top prospect and 19th overall pick from the 2022 NHL Draft, Liam Ohgren.
"I think with Gus, he's a veteran player. I think he understands how to play in these environments. He plays a strong two-way game," Hynes said. "He's very responsible and he adds to our penalty kill. I know he hasn't gotten out the last few times on it, but he is a good penalty kill for us. So I think there's lots of value to having a player like him in your lineup."
According to Natural Stat Trick, Nyquist has a Corsi For per 60 of 41.12. That is the second worst on the Wild behind Freddy Gaudreau, who also has zero points in four games.
Gaudreau, 31, has a Corsi For per 60 (CF/60) of 33.75. That ranks dead last in the entire NHL. He ranks 279 out of 279 players who have played 26 playoff minutes. He ranks 278 out of 279 players in Corsi Against per 60 (CA/60) at 94.01. Nyquist is 235.
So what do these stats mean?
Corsi For (CF) is the count of Corsi for that player's team while that player is on the ice. Corsi Against (CA) is the count of Corsi against that player's team while that player is on the ice. Corsi means any shot attempt (goals, shots on net, misses and blocks) outside of the shootout. Referred to as SAT by the NHL.
The per 60 means the Stat multiplied by 60 divided by time on ice (TOI). Why would I use that stat? Well, the per 60 puts guys who play ten minutes a night into the same category as the guys who play 20 minutes a night.
Despite the box score stats and the analytics, Hynes and the Wild will be sticking with both Gaudreau and Nyquist. Not only will they be sticking with them in the lineup but they will keep them in elevated roles instead of elevating someone like Marco Rossi to take Gaudreau's spot.
Rossi has two goals in his last two games on the fourth line and had 60 points during the regular season which trailed only Matt Boldy for the team lead.
"I think they're both, you know, they're both veteran guys that I think play both sides of the puck," Hynes said on sticking with Gaudreau and Nyquist. "They have the ability to score but I think when they're not, or the puck doesn't go in for them, they're guys that don't do things that put you in tough spots as a team. They just keep playing the game the right way."
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