DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings made a couple of moves to acquire draft picks ahead of Monday's NHL trade deadline.
Nyquist sent to Sharks
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Forward Gustav Nyquist was traded to the San Jose Sharks for two draft picks. Nyquist waived his no-trade clause with the Sharks sending a 2019 second-round pick and conditional 2020 third-rounder to the Red Wings.
The 29-year-old Nyquist has 16 goals and 33 assists in 62 games this season in the final year of a $19 million, four-year deal. The Red Wings will reportedly retain 30 percent of Nyquist's salary to help make the deal work with the salary cap.
Nyquist was a 4th-round pick by Detroit in 2008. In 481 games with the Red Wings he scored 125 goals and 170 assists. He also appeared in 35 playoff games.
He busted onto the NHL scene in 2013-2014 when he tallied 28 goals in just 57 games. The native of Halmstad, Sweden has not been able to get back to that type of scoring pace, but he's remained a solid two-way player with a high hockey IQ. With 49 points this season, he is on track to surpass his career-high points total of 54.
Jensen sent to Capitals
Defenseman Nick Jensen was sent to the Washington Capitals for defenseman Madison Bowey and a 2nd-round draft pick in 2020. Washington also will acquire a 5th-found draft pick from Detroit. That fifth round pick was originally from Buffalo.
Jensen, 28, has 15 points and a +1 rating in 59 games played with Detroit this season. He's also an unrestricted free agent this summer. This was Jensen's second full season with the Red Wings.
The righthanded defenseman was drafted in the 5th round by Detroit in 2009 and spent three seasons at St. Cloud State before playing four seasons with the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins.
The Capitals promptly signed Jensen to a four-year, $10 million contract extension.
Madison Bowey, 23, is a righthanded defenseman who was drafted by Washington in the 2nd round, 53rd overall in 2013. He has played 84 games in the NHL. In 33 games played this season he has 1 goal and 5 points and is a +3 rating. Bowey has size -- he is 6-foot-2, 198 pounds.
He was part of two World Junior Ice Hockey Championships with Team Canada and won the Stanley Cup with the Capitals last year.
Red Wings draft picks acquired
Here's a recap of the draft picks acquired through these trades:
- 2nd-round pick in 2019
- 2nd-round pick in 2020
- Conditional 3rd-round pick in 2020
Howard stays in Detroit
Rumors had been swirling that Red Wings GM Ken Holland wanted to flip his veteran goaltender at the deadline for a 1st-round pick. But Jimmy Howard did not move, and he'll likely re-sign with the Red Wings in the offseason after his contract expires.
Howard, 34, is in his 13th season with the Red Wings since he was drafted way back in 2003.
Vanek also stays
Thomas Vanek, in his second stint with the Red Wings, is under a 1-year contract with a no-trade clause. The Red Wings apparently honored that clause, or no one wanted Vanek on a loan.
Vanek, also 34, has 12 goals and 17 assists in 54 games played this season.
Zadina called up
Filip Zadina is playing in the NHL right now, and perhaps that's the most noteworthy Red Wings news from the past few days. Zadina, 19, was the Red Wings’ first-round pick (sixth overall) at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
He has appeared in 45 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins this season and has 31 points (15-16-31), ranking third on the team in goals, fourth in points and tied for 15th among all AHL rookies in points as the second-youngest player in the league.
There is so much hype around this prospect that Red Wings fans were basically cheering for him when he briefly touched the puck Sunday against the Sharks.
Zadina will be back down with the Griffins in a few weeks due to a contract constraint that limits him to just nine games.
Holland wants to be more competitive
Holland said he hoped the Red Wings would be more competitive this season.
"I think on a night-to-night basis we've been competitive enough to be in most hockey games. The games are exciting, we've made combacks. But the reality is when you look at the standings we're not nearly as competitive as we need to be in a playoff spot," he said.
Holland is not under contract next summer, so it's unclear what his future with the team might be after next season.