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Detroit Red Wings: Gustav Nyquist Continues to Produce

By Bob Heyrman

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 07: Detroit Red Wings right Wing Gustav Nyquist (14) look to pass the puck during the game against the Los Angeles Kings on October 07, 2018, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Adam Davis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 07: Detroit Red Wings right Wing Gustav Nyquist (14) look to pass the puck during the game against the Los Angeles Kings on October 07, 2018, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Adam Davis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Gus Nyquist is thriving playing in the “Zetterberg” role this season for the Detroit Red Wings.

The Detroit Red Wings are minus Henrik Zetterberg this season and Gustav Nyquist has seen an opportunity to step up in more ways than one.  Gus has transitioned himself into a playmaking forward rather than being just a shooter.

Often playing alongside Tomas Tatar and Henrik Zetterberg, the goose was counted on to be the shooter.  Z would place the puck right on Gus’ tape expecting the puck to find twine.  With Hank’s career now completed, Detroit needed a new leader and playmaker.

Gustav Nyquist is off to a tremendous start this season for the wings.  He has recorded 1 goal, 6 assists, totaling 7 points through the first 8 games of the season.  He is producing with somewhat limited ice-time.

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Head coach Jeff Blashill seems to continue to find ways to limit his top point producers while playing his bottom 6 forwards who are not producing nearly the same minutes.  Nyquist is averaging 16:53 TOI per game.

Nyquist is off to a hot start and is on pace to eclipse all of his previous career-high totals.  He is doing this in a contract year.  The scary thing about this is Ken Holland‘s quick trigger to resign these types of veteran players.

Nyquist has transitioned into a nice leader although he was not chosen to wear one of the associate captain “A’s this season.  I think the Detroit Red Wings chose Frans Nielsen over Gus because of his previous experience wearing it in New York and also because he is under contract for four more seasons.

Nyquist won’t continue to produce as a point per game player but he is absolutely elevating his trade stock for later this season, that is if he decides to waive his “no trade” clause.

Jeff Blashill started Nyquist alongside Frans Nielsen and Tyler Bertuzzi on the second line.  With the demotion of Anthony Mantha to the fourth line, Gus has been penciled in with Dylan Larkin on the top line and continues to produce.

Darren Helm was moved up to this line to be a worker bee type player.  Helmer is the guy who goes into the corners and tries to dig the puck out for Larkin and Gus.  The trio accounted for a beautiful goal Saturday night in Florida.

Darren Helm is anything but a top line forward but late last season he skated with Larkin and they used their speed to their advantage frustrating opponents with speed and a tenacious forecheck.

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The hope is Goose scores at a nice clip all season long, decides to waive his no-trade clause and the Wings can obtain a second or third round draft pick for him.  He won’t fetch nearly the same return as Tatar did from Vegas because Nyquist is a straight rental.  Tatar had lots of “term” left on his deal although he didn’t last long in Vegas.

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