With less than six weeks to go until the NHL’s trade deadline on March 3, we’ve got you covered at Daily Faceoff with one trade-focused story each day leading up to Deadline Day.
Here we’re going to focus on Columbus Blue Jackets forward Gustav Nyquist, who was No. 22 on Friday’s latest Trade Targets board.
GUSTAV NYQUIST
Left Winger, Columbus Blue Jackets
Shoots: Left
Age: 33
Height: 5’11” | Weight: 180 lbs.
Cap Hit: $5.5 million AAV
Term: Pending UFA
Trade Clauses: No restrictions
Stats: 45 GP, 9 goals, 11 assists, 20 points, 18:06 ATOI
Career: 11th season (Detroit, San Jose, Columbus), 697 GP, 173 goals, 421 points, 16:55 ATOI
Distributor, third line
Nyquist is a complimentary facilitator best utilized in transition. At this stage of his career, he isn’t going to drive play, but he can make plays in all areas of the ice with space. He can also reliably finish when presented with the opportunity. Ideally, Nyquist would slide into a third-line role on a Cup contending team to provide a more balanced threat.
Nyquist is a consistent producer, particularly when used in the right situations with the right linemates. He is smart and uses his hockey intelligence to play positionally sound in the offensive zone with and without the puck. Nyquist has good hands, good vision and frequently makes quick-strike plays in the offensive zone. He is best off the rush or in quick transition situations, as he can get pushed off the puck or pushed to the perimeter with contact.
Maybe the most attractive thing about Nyquist is that he won’t cost an arm and a leg. He was traded at the 2019 deadline and assimilated well with the San Jose Sharks, scoring 11 points in 19 regular-season games and chipped in an additional 11 points in 20 playoff contests on their run to the Western Conference final. That means he’s been through this drill once before and is a proven playoff performer.
It’s no surprise that Nyquist used to have more pop in his stride. He could maintain an edge on the rush or use his pace to push defenders wide and then distribute to teammates in scoring areas. His pace has fall off a bit. He isn’t a poor skater, but because he can’t maintain a lead or create separation now, he cheats a little more for an edge than he used to earlier in his career.
Coupled with the fact that Nyquist has never been a great defender, his cheating means that he needs to be sheltered and deployed in more offensive situations now. That means who he plays with and how they play matter greatly. So far this season, he’s struggled with Boone Jenner and Jack Roslovic. It’s Roslovic who sometimes fades out of games, and Jenner lacks the pace to properly compliment Nyquist’s skillset.
While Nyquist competes adequately enough, under duress he can and does get pushed to the perimeter. Rarely does he accept contact, maintain possession and drive through it or create space to make plays.
Feb. 25, 2019
To San Jose: Gustav Nyquist
To Detroit: 2019 second-round pick (Albert Johansson), 2020 third-round pick (Daemon Hunt), 30% retained
You don’t have to look too far into the past to see what Nyquist previously brought back. That was four years ago, and while his speed has slipped a bit, his point production has remained remarkably consistent over that stretch — with all four seasons spent in Columbus after his playoff run with San Jose.
March 21, 2022
To Washington: Marcus Johansson
To Seattle: Daniel Sprong, 2022 fourth-round pick (Cole Spicer), 2023 sixth-round pick, 50% retained
At the time of the trade, Johansson had netted 23 points in 51 games, which is an almost identical pace that Nyquist has been on this season. That brought back fourth- and sixth-round picks. They also included distressed asset Sprong in the deal. Sprong has unexpectedly caught fire in Seattle, which few saw coming. This makes sense as a starting asking point for anyone calling on Nyquist.
March 21, 2022
To Carolina: Max Domi, Tyler Inamoto
To Florida: Yegor Korshkov, 2022 sixth-round pick (Joshua Davies), 50% retained
To Columbus: Aidan Hreschuk, 50% retained
Hreschuk was a 2021 third-round pick of the Hurricanes, a defenseman in the midst of his freshman season at Boston College at the time of the trade. That makes him a third-round pick equivalent in return for Domi. The Blue Jackets probably have a similar value asset now in Nyquist as they did with Domi last year, and Nyquist has a slightly higher salary-cap hit, so perhaps some of the same gymnastics will be in play to move him.
Nyquist is a solid middle-six winger who can help a playoff-bound team when paired with a strong finisher and a defensively responsible player who retrieves pucks well. He can boost a third line, provide decent upward lineup mobility as insurance in case of injury and won’t destroy a team’s future asset outlook to do it.
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