Player Profile: Gustav Nyquist

Gustav Nyquist was born in Halmstad, Sweden on September 1, 1989. The veteran forward has played on five teams in the NHL and is currently wearing the number 14 for the Nashville Predators.

Find all of Nyquist’s Career Stats Here!

Nyquist was born in Halmstad, but his family moved to Malmö, where he played youth hockey and eventually ended up playing with the Malmö Redhawks junior teams. His numbers stayed at a consistent point-per-game average as he rose through their ranks. Nyquist entered the 2008 NHL Draft after his final season in Malmö and was drafted 121st overall by the Detroit Red Wings.

After graduating high school, Nyquist moved to the United States to continue his academic and hockey career at the University of Maine. Nyquist played three seasons for the Black Bears and earned himself an alternate captain position in his final season. He had a strong freshman season, scoring 32 points in 38 games, but his numbers exploded the following two seasons. In those seasons, Nyquist played 75 games and notched 37 goals and 75 assists for 112 points and a +19 rating overall. Nyquist led the team in scoring each season and was a Hobey Baker Award Finalist in 2010. He signed his entry-level contract with the Red Wings following his junior year and finished his season with the Grand Rapid Griffins (AHL).

Nyquist made his NHL debut during the 2011-12 season. He played 18 games in the NHL that season and 56 in the AHL. While his numbers in the NHL through the 2011-12 & 2012-13 seasons weren’t as reflective of his collegiate stats, his AHL numbers remained steady at over a point-per-game average. In addition to his regular season experience, Nyquist was able to gain NHL and AHL playoff experience and even was able to contribute a game-winning goal in the 2013 NHL playoffs.

Nyquist signed a two-year, $1.9 million extension to continue his time with the Red Wings organization. His new contract came with an expanded role in the Red Wings lineup and his numbers began to increase. Each season since Nyquist has remained a consistent 40-point player when he is healthy. He was also able to represent Sweden in two global tournaments, winning Silver at the 2014 Winter Olympics and Bronze at the 2014 IIHF World Championships.

Prior to the 2015-16 season, Nyquist was up for a new contract. After going through the arbitration process with the Red Wings, Nyquist came out with a four-year, $19 million extension. During these four years with the Red Wings, Nyquist played in 302 games, scoring 66 goals and 114 assists for 180 points. Nyquist also represented Sweden twice during this contract and was able to win Gold during the 2018 IIHF World Championships. As the end of his contract approached during the 2018-19 season, Nyquist was looking for a bigger contract, which Detroit couldn’t offer, leading them to trade Nyquist ahead of the 2019 trade deadline to the San Jose Sharks. Nyquist finished the season in San Jose, scoring 11 points in 19 games as well as another 11 points in 20 playoff games where he went all the way to the Western Conference Finals.

Nyquist left the bay during free agency and scored a four-year, $22 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was here that Nyquist caught the injury bug and over his entire contract with Columbus, he was limited to just 200 games. He missed the entire 2020-21 season with a shoulder injury as well as half of the 2022-23 season. Despite this, his numbers remained consistent, scoring 117 points and earning the alternate captaincy for the final two seasons he spent in Columbus. Ahead of the 2023 trade deadline, Nyquist was traded to the Minnesota Wild. He started his time with them on injury reserve and was limited to only three games in the regular season with his new squad, but notched five points in that time. He also played in six playoff games and scored another five points.

Nyquist left Minnesota and signed a two-year $6.37 million contract with the Nashville Predators in free agency. Nyquist put up a career year during the 2023-24 season scoring 23 goals and 52 assists for 75 points over 81 games. He is currently playing in the final year of his contract with Nashville.

Outside of the rink, Gustav is a husband and father of three and actively participates in the communities around his teams.

Nyquist is an experienced veteran who has brought his strong presence and skill into any locker room he has been a part of. He has always been consistent and reliable and continues to prove his abilities. Catch Nyquist and the Nashville Predators during the 2024-25 season!