Wild trades Nico Sturm to Colorado for Tyson Jost

With the NHL trade deadline looming and a lengthy rut simmering, the Wild isn't staying the same.

Acquiring forward Tyson Jost from Colorado on Tuesday for center Nico Sturm made sure of that, a deal that tweaks the current lineup while also addressing the Wild's future.

"We're very excited to have Tyson," said General Manager Bill Guerin, who anticipates Jost will debut with the Wild on Wednesday against Boston at Xcel Energy Center. "We think there's a lot more potential for Tyson to grow and become the player that he wants to be."

Career statistics: Tyson Jost | Nico Sturm

This change comes while the Wild is still battling a post All-Star break funk in which the team has won just three times over the past 11 games.

But Guerin made it clear this switch wasn't a "play better or you're out of here" message to the players ahead of the trade deadline on Monday. Rather, he viewed this transaction as him bolstering the group — a strategy he didn't pursue a year ago when the Wild was inactive while in a much more comfortable playoff position en route to a seven-game, first-round loss to Vegas.

"It's a win-win because I think both players were in need of a change," Guerin said. "Nico gave us a couple of great years. I think he was one of the better college free-agent signings in the last few years, and we wish him nothing but the best."

Sturm became the Wild's fourth-line center after signing out of Clarkson in 2019, and he scored a career-high 11 goals last season. Earlier this month, he matched his career-best for points when he registered No. 17 but the 26-year-old was a healthy scratch the past two games. Overall, he totaled 20 goals, 16 assists and 36 points in 111 games.

The Wild didn't feel it was going to be able to re-sign Sturm, who was set to become an unrestricted free agent poised for a raise from his present $725,000 cap hit. But now the team has another forward under contract for next season (Jost is signed through 2022-23 at $2 million before he hits restricted free agency), and that certainty is helpful for offseason planning — especially with the costs of the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts escalating.

"But 99 percent of the decision was to make us better this year," Guerin said, "and I think we are better."

Jost, who will wear No. 10, is in his sixth NHL campaign after getting drafted 10th overall by the Avalanche in 2016 and playing briefly at North Dakota, totaling 35 points in 33 games.

This season, the 24-year-old has six goals and eight points through 59 games and exited Colorado with 45 goals and 58 assists for 103 career points in 321 games; in 40 playoff appearances, he's recorded 10 points.

While the Wild has tabbed Jost as a center, he can also play wing. The 5-11, 187-pound Alberta native is also a regular on the penalty kill, but it's his offensive game that could benefit from this new address.

"We understand what his skill set is and the opportunities that he's going to need to become a better player," Guerin said. "Defensively, actually, the last couple of years, he's been very strong, and that's one thing that we really like about him. So, I think he can fill a lot of different roles for us.

"But I know one thing he really wants to do is get the opportunity to play offensively and produce. So, at some point in time, he'll get that opportunity."