Wild acquire Michael McCarron, sending 2nd-rounder to Predators for 6-foot-6 center: Sources

One day after adding Robby Fabbri off waivers as they try to reshape their fourth line, the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday acquired 6-foot-6 center Michael McCarron from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2028 second-round pick, according to league sources.

McCarron, who turns 31 on Friday, is in the final year of a contract with a $900,000 average annual value. Wild coach John Hynes coached McCarron for parts of three seasons in Nashville.

The move is a clear indication that the Wild haven’t been pleased with Nico Sturm’s play. McCarron is a big body who plays a heavy game and has an edge, leading the Predators with 165 hits. He’s also good on draws, winning 53.8 percent of them over the past five seasons, and is a good penalty-killer. He’s amassed 275 penalty minutes in the past three seasons and is known to drop the gloves.

With Marcus Foligno week-to-week with a lower-body injury, McCarron will fill a physical role for the Wild, along with league hits leader Yakov Trenin.

McCarron has five goals and 12 points this season and is averaging a career-high 14:30 of ice time per game.