The Minnesota Wild placed forward Tyson Jost on waivers Friday, the team announced. Here’s what you need to know:
Jost, a first-round pick by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2016 NHL Draft, was traded to the Wild in March.
In 354 career NHL games, Jost produced 47 goals and 112 points between the Avalanche and Wild.
He’s in the final season of a two-year, $4 million contract with an AAV of $2 million and is a restricted free agent after the 2022-23 season.
If Jost clears waivers, the Wild will be allowed to bury $1.125 million of his $2 million salary cap hit while he plays with the team’s AHL affiliate in Iowa.
Backstory
Jost has struggled throughout his NHL career. He was expected to play a significant role in a rebuilding Avalanche team, but his offense didn’t progress as Colorado hoped when they drafted him, though he developed into a strong defensive player and capable penalty killer. Jost has not scored over 15 goals or 30 points in a season at any point in his professional career.
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After being traded to the Minnesota Wild, Jost lit up the preseason with seven points in five games and appeared to turn a corner. He had three assists and no goals in twelve games during the latest regular season.
Why the move makes sense for Minnesota
Jost, after being the Wild’s second-leading scorer in the preseason, looked primed to take a big jump in production and responsibility this season with Jordan Greenway on the shelf almost all season and injuries through the forward corps. Instead, Jost didn’t capitalize on the chance, has lacked jam in his game and had been scratched five times, including three in a row, before returning to the lineup Thursday night against Pittsburgh. General manager Bill Guerin had been shopping Jost to no avail, so waivers seemed inevitable with Greenway close to returning from injury and the team losing three in a row.
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(Photo: Jamie Sabau / USA Today)