Predators Acquire Luke Kunin, 2020 No. 101 Overall Pick from Minnesota

Nashville, Tenn. (October 7, 2020) - Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/GM David Poile announced Wednesday that the team has acquired forward Luke Kunin and the No. 101 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for the No. 37 and No. 70 overall picks in the 2020 NHL Draft and forward Nick Bonino.
"Luke Kunin is a solid, young, up and coming player with a great future ahead of him," Poile said. "He is a former first-round pick with good pedigree that can play both center and on the wing, and in all situations, including on the penalty kill and the power play."
Kunin, 22 (12/4/97), completed his third full professional season in 2019-20, spending the entire campaign with the Wild. He established career highs in games played (63), goals (15), assists (16) and points (31) last season and added in two goals in four postseason contests. The 6-foot, 192-pound forward has suited up for 131 career NHL games - all with Minnesota - since making his debut on Oct. 14, 2017, and has tallied 52 points (23g-29a). Kunin has also recorded 47 points (27g-20a) in 76 career AHL contests with the Iowa Wild, the team he made his professional debut with at the end of the 2016-17 season.

Prior to turning pro, the Chesterfield, Mo., native spent two seasons with the University of Wisconsin from 2015-17, captaining the Badgers as a sohomore in 2016-17. A product of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, Kunin has won five gold medals while representing the U.S. - the 2013 and 2014 Five Nations Tournaments; the 2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge; the 2015 World U-18 Championship; and the 2017 World Junior Championship, where he served as captain and had four points (2g-2a) in seven games.

After selecting goaltender Iaroslav Askarov with the 11th overall pick in Tuesday's first round, the Predators now own the following selections in the 2020 NHL Draft: No. 42 (second round), No. 73 (third round), No. 101 (fourth round), No. 135 (fifth round) and No. 166 (sixth round).