SAN JOSE -- It was just a month ago that Gustav Nyquist traded in his Red Wings’ sweater and flew to Boston to join the Sharks on their East Coast road trip. So naturally, it’s going to be a little weird Monday night when his former team makes their one and only visit of the season to SAP Center and he plays against them for the first time.
“It’ll be a little different seeing that jersey out there and not passing the puck to those guys. I’ll try not to do that,” Nyquist told NBC Sports California, stifling a chuckle. “But I’m excited. It will be a lot of fun, too.”
In his short tenure with the Sharks, Nyquist has been nothing but candid about his transition to a new team -- particularly since it’s the first time he has ever been traded. Sharks coach Peter DeBoer had nothing but positive things to say about the Swedish winger when he spoke with the media Monday morning.
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“We’ve had issues integrating guys before,” DeBoer discussed. “Guys like this with the kind of hockey sense, the way he plays, how easy he is to move around -- and guys want to play with players like that. I think it’s a lot easier.”
Nyquist has registered six points (three goals, three assists) in the 12 games he has played for San Jose so far, bouncing up and down the lineup as the Sharks battle injuries and illness in the last stretch of the regular season. Although the Sharks haven’t been winning games, Nyquist has been buzzing while skating on Logan Couture’s wing on San Jose’s de facto top line. It’s no doubt something San Jose wants to see as they try to snap their losing streak Monday against the Red Wings.
“It’s a big game for us tonight to get back on track,” Nyquist said. “Hopefully we can get a win here.”
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San Jose Sharks
There’s no doubt Nyquist is going to keep grinding Monday as he helps the Sharks try to get a win, even though he told the press he spent some time with his old teammates when they got into town.
“I met up with a few of the guys,” he said. “Fun to see their faces again. I stay in touch with quite a few of them. When you play with those guys for such a long time, you build relationships that last for a lifetime. It’s good to see them again.”