The Minnesota Wild have already had to juggle a crowded injury list and a rotating cast of call-ups this season, and Daemon Hunt became one of the latest names caught in the shuffle. After playing in all 11 of Minnesota’s games at that point, Hunt was put on waivers and eventually lost to the Nashville Predators. It closes another stop-and-start chapter in what has been a back-and-forth run with the Wild.
Hunt’s path with Minnesota has never really settled into a straight line. Drafted by the Wild in 2020, he didn’t make his NHL debut until the 2023-24 season, when he appeared in 12 games and recorded one assist. Even then, his time in the lineup came in bursts, with short stretches followed by another trip down after injured teammates returned.
The following season brought even more movement. Hunt played just one game for Minnesota before being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in November 2024 along with a first-round pick in the 2025 draft, third and fourth picks in the 2026 draft, and a second-round pick in the 2027 draft in exchange for David Jiříček.
That deal did not stick for long. The Wild claimed Hunt back off waivers the next October.
Once back in Minnesota, he got a longer look. Hunt played 32 games and had six assists, a step forward from his previous NHL stretch. This season, he was in the lineup for 11 games before heading to Nashville.
What Hunt gave the Wild was less about flash and more about edge. He played a gritty brand of hockey, threw his body around, and made a habit of blocking shots. That kind of work matters on defense, and Hunt showed a willingness to pay that price every time he got into the lineup.
He also rotated through different defensive partners as injuries kept forcing changes around him. There were mistakes, but there was also progress the longer he stayed with the club.
Still, Michael Russo of The Athletic reported on their live blog that the Wild believed the timing was off. As Russo wrote, “they felt he was off to a tough start and wanted to get him playing games in Iowa” (from ‘Daemon Hunt claimed by Nashville Predators,’ The Athletic, 10/24/26).
Hunt has already made an early impression in Nashville. He was inserted right away and picked up an assist in just his second game with the Predators.
On the play, he took a shot that created a rebound for a teammate to finish. His willingness to get pucks on net has been part of the growth in his game, and it showed quickly.
Minnesota, meanwhile, has had to keep leaning on other options. Matt Kiersted and David Špaček were also brought into the mix, and roster limits forced some hard choices.
Hunt ended up being the odd man out. Kiersted has since carved out a role and, despite a few mistakes, has given the Wild solid minutes.
Like Hunt, he blocks shots and isn’t shy about firing the puck from the other side of the ice.
With Brock Faber out for a considerable length of time, Minnesota will need players like Kiersted to hold the fort. The Wild have options, and that gave them the flexibility to make the waiver move even though losing Hunt stings. For now, they’ll hope the mix keeps working and that Hunt finds his footing in Nashville.
In Other News...
Wild Face An Islanders Lineup Still Searching For Answers
Injuries have forced the Islanders back into a more familiar structure as they get ready to face the Wild, with Peter DeBoer opting for a traditional 12 forwards and six defensemen after recent absences along the lineup. The shakeup comes amid missing pieces up front and on defense, leaving New York to piece together a group that has not had much time to settle.
Kyle MacLean is back in the mix as the Islanders try to steady themselves after a recent loss, while Ilya Sorokin is set to handle the start in goal. The changes give New York a chance to reset, but they also underscore how much the roster is still searching for answers as it comes into Minnesota shorthanded and trying to stop the slide. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Trade Talk Just Took A More Serious Turn
The trade market around the league is starting to move from speculation to something much more real, and Minnesota has at least one name worth monitoring. While the Wild are weighing what to do next with Quinn Hughes and the ripple effects of his uncertain contract situation, the broader picture has become more fluid, with Toronto insisting no player is fully off limits and Vancouver exploring changes that could put more veterans in play.
The most striking development is in Detroit, where the captains status has added urgency to conversations that were already heating up. For Minnesota, that matters because the club is always watching for a chance to address its blue line or make a bigger swing if the right deal opens up, and the latest chatter suggests the market may be headed toward exactly that kind of moment. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Roster Shift Just Got More Complicated At The Worst Time
The Wild added another defensive piece to the organizational mix by claiming Cameron Crotty off waivers from Ottawa, a move that came as the Senators were trying to navigate a roster shuffle of their own. Ottawa had put Crotty on waivers Wednesday, and Minnesota stepped in to grab the blueliner as the Senators continue to sort through the ripple effects of a changing lineup.
For Ottawa, the timing is hardly ideal. Warren Foegele is headed to the sidelines for an extended stretch after a knee-on-knee hit against Vegas, while the club is also preparing to welcome Thomas Chabot back into the lineup against the Los Angeles Kings and finally get its full defensive group together. Even with that good news, the loss of Foegele leaves another hole to manage, and it underscores how quickly one roster move can complicate the next. [Read more 🡒]