Wild makes minor league deal, acquires Nolan Stevens from Blues

The Wild made a minor league trade Wednesday, sending Will Bitten from AHL Iowa to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Nolan Stevens, who is with Springfield of the AHL.

Neither forward has played in the NHL.

The 23-year-old Bitten had three goals in 23 games for Iowa this season. He was obtained in 2018 from Montreal, which picked him in the third round in 2016, in a trade for defenseman Gustav Olofsson. Bitten had 31 goals in 168 games in the past four seasons in Iowa.

Stevens, 25, has three goals in 20 games this season for Springfield. He played four years at Northeastern and was drafted by the Blues in the fifth round in 2016. Stevens has 27 goals in 156 games over the past four AHL seasons.

The Wild recalled defenseman Calen Addison from Iowa and put him on the taxi squad. The 21-year-old has two goals and seven assists in 17 games with Iowa, and has played three games with the Wild this season, scoring his first NHL goal on Nov. 2.

Defenseman Jonas Brodin is sidelined because of COVID-19 and is doubtful for Saturday's Winter Classic between the Wild and Blues at Target Field.

The NHL cut COVID-19 isolation times for players and personnel to five days under certain conditions and where it is allowed by local laws. The change went into effect Wednesday and applies only in the U.S. because of stricter pandemic regulations in Canada.

Players, coaches and staff who tested positive for the coronavirus can return after five days if symptoms are gone or resolving themselves with a negative PCR test or two negative rapid test results taken more than two hours apart.

The 10-day isolation requirement remains in Canada. The NBA and NFL previously reduced to six and five days, respectively, after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.