Breakaway on SI

Wild, Sharks Swap Prospects

The Minnesota Wild and San Jose Sharks made a minor trade.

Jackson Kruse

Sep 25, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche right wing Oskar Olausson (27) controls the puck in the second period against the Vegas Golden Knights at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Sep 25, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche right wing Oskar Olausson (27) controls the puck in the second period against the Vegas Golden Knights at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
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In a minor prospect swap, the Minnesota Wild announced that they have traded defenseman Kyle Masters to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward Oskar Olausson. Both players were in the minor leagues before the trade and will now report to their new team’s affiliates.

Masters, 22, was selected by the Wild with the 118th pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In 27 games this season with the Iowa Heartlanders of the ECHL, the 6-foot defenseman scored five goals and eight assists for 13 points. Last season, he posted one goal and two assists for three points in 16 games with the Iowa Wild of the AHL.

According to EliteProspects' 2021 NHL Draft Guide, Masters is "a play-planner, moving the puck, not to the most obvious target, but the one that creates the most favourable situation up the rink. He activates into the rush by filling space on the weak side, as the trailer, or becoming a forward -- in every situation, he sprints past his man, establishing body positioning if necessary, and adjusts his route and speed to become a passing option." He will likely spend the entire season in the minors.

Colorado Avalanche right wing Oskar Olausson
Oct 3, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; Colorado Avalanche right wing Oskar Olausson (24) waits for the face-off against the Dallas Stars during the first period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

As for Olausson, the trade marks the second time the 6-foot-1 forward has been dealt since the offseason, as the Colorado Avalanche traded him to the Sharks in exchange for Danil Gunshin in July. The Sharks waived and assigned Olausson to AHL San Jose out of camp, but he didn't play in a single game for the Barracuda this season.

The Avalanche selected Olausson, 22, with the No. 28 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He played in just four games across three seasons with Colorado, posting zero points. The forward scored 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points in 61 games with the Colorado Eagles of the AHL this past season. EliteProspects' 2021 NHL Draft Guide states Olausson's "skating posture allows him to effortless manoeuvre through opponents with his top hand in full control, pushed out from his body."

The Iowa Wild desperately need scoring help, and Olausson can help. Hopefully for Minnesota, Olausson helps Iowa get back on track and eventually develops into an everyday NHL player. If all else fails, Minnesota can simply non-tender him at the end of the season.

For the Sharks, moving Olausson creates more AHL playing time for other players they'd like to further develop, such as Quentin Musty, Cameron Lund and Ethan Cardwell.

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Jackson Kruse
JACKSON KRUSE

Jackson Kruse is a writer for Breakaway on SI. He is also the site expert at Puckett’s Pond, FanSided’s Minnesota Twins website. In the past, Jackson worked as a hockey communications intern with the Chicago Blackhawks and served as the sports editor for his alma mater’s student-run newspaper, The University Star. In his spare time, Jackson enjoys spending time with his girlfriend and dog, watching TV, listening to music, and, of course, watching sports.

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