Wild acquire D Hunt from Golden Knights

The Wild acquired defenseman Brad Hunt from Vegas on Monday evening, shortly after Minnesota beat the Golden Knights 4-2 in Las Vegas. Minnesota sent a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2019 draft to Vegas and also received a 2019 sixth-rounder in return.

Hunt, 30, hasn't played since Jan. 4 and had been a healthy scratch in 29 of the Golden Knights' past 33 games. He has two goals and five assists and is plus-3 in 13 games this season after posting career highs of three goals and 15 assists in 45 games with Vegas last season. Hunt averaged less ice time (15:10 per game) than any other defenseman on Vegas' roster this season, his sixth NHL campaign. He began his career with three partial years with the Edmonton Oilers (2013-16) before stints with the St. Louis Blues (2016-17) and Nashville Predators (2016-17). Hunt then signed with Vegas in July 2017.

To make room on their roster, the Wild reassigned defenseman Louie Belpedio to the AHL Iowa Wild. Belpedio, 22, has played in just two NHL games this season, Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Monday at Vegas. He had no points and an even rating in an average of 13:08 in ice time. In his only previous NHL appearance, he produced two assists last season in his Minnesota debut.

--Field Level Media