![Mario Lucia (22) of the Iowa Wild celebrated after scoring a goal in the second period. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ ï cgonzalez@startribune.com - December 9, 2017, Des Moines, IA, Wells Fargo Center, Hockey, Iowa Wild vs. San Diego Gulls](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/M5AVGWHOVYIU2U4TWUIPBPBM64.jpg?&w=1080)
A day after the Wild learned it would be without defenseman Jonas Brodin for possibly a month, the team added another option for the blue line by acquiring Viktor Loov from the Devils in exchange for forwards Christoph Bertschy and Mario Lucia.
Loov, 25, has spent the entire season with the Devils' American Hockey League affiliate, totaling 17 points (five goals) in 36 games. Originally drafted by the Maple Leafs in the seventh round 209th overall in 2012, the 25-year-old has appeared in four NHL games.
He'll report to Iowa of the AHL.
Lucia, 24, has not appeared in an NHL game. The son of Gophers coach Don Lucia was a second-round pick in 2011, played four seasons at Notre Dame, and has 41 points in 93 games with Iowa of the AHL.
Bertschy, 23, has played in nine games for the Wild. He has 17 points in 45 games at Iowa this season, and was a sixth-round pick in 2012.
Brodin, the team's plus-minus leader, will be out three-to-four weeks after he had surgery to repair a hand fracture on Wednesday.
