The Nashville Predators have acquired center Jack Drury from the Colorado Avalanche in a trade that includes forwards Zach L’Heureux and Fedor Svechkov.
In the trade, the Predators are getting Drury, a 2029 third-round pick, and forward Chase Bradley. The Avalanche are getting Svechkov and L’Heureux, both former first-round picks by the Predators.
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Drury, 26, was drafted in the second round (No. 42 overall) in 2018 by the Carolina Hurricanes. After three seasons with the Hurricanes, he was traded to the Avalanche in 2025 as part of the deal that sent Mikko Rantanen to Carolina.
In 268 games, Drury has 30 goals, 52 assists while averaging 12:56 ice time per game. He’s an excellent face-off winner, winning more than 57% of his draws in his career.
Seen as more of a defensive player, he was the Avalanche’s third-line center. He often played with Ross Colton, whom the Predators acquired from the Avalanche on June 16.
The Predators’ new general manager, Chris MacFarland, came over from the Avalanche.
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Drury just completed a two-year, $3.45 million contract signed in 2024. He is a restricted free agent and is due a qualifying offer of at least $1.65 million, which was his salary last season.
NHL teams must submit qualifying offers to RFAs by July 1. According to Puck Pedia, the Predators have $25 million in cap space.The Predators are sending two former first-round picks in Svechkov and L’Heureux. Svechkov was taken 19th overall in 2021, and had 12 goals and 22 assists in 122 games. L’Heureux was taken eight picks later at No. 27 — he scored nine goals and 11 assists in 87 games.
Despite being high draft picks, the two never developed into anything more than role players for Nashville.
Bradley, 24, has played two games for the Avalanche, but is mostly an American Hockey League player at this point. He had nine goals and three assists in 42 games for the Colorado Eagles last season.
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Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. He never uses artificial intelligence when developing or drafting stories. Contact Alex atjdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Predators acquire Avs’ Jack Drury for Fedor Svechkov, Zach L’Heureux
