A fresh face is making waves in Smashville, as the Nashville Predators have secured forward Jack Drury with a five-year contract, according to PuckPedia. This deal will see Drury pulling in a cap hit of $4.5 million through the 2030-31 season.
Drury's contract includes a full no-trade clause during its second and third years, transitioning to a modified no-trade clause in the final two years. This means Drury will have some control over his destiny, submitting an eight-team no-trade list as the contract winds down. It's a significant upgrade for the 26-year-old, who previously played under a two-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, boasting an average annual value of $1.725 million.
The journey to Nashville began just last week when the Colorado Avalanche traded Drury's signing rights to the Predators. The deal also included Chase Bradley and a third-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft, while the Avalanche received forwards Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux in return.
Drury's career has been a whirlwind of movement recently, marking his second relocation in under two years. He was a pivotal part of the trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to the Avalanche in January 2025.
Drury's inaugural full season in Denver was a standout, as he notched a career-high 10 goals, along with 17 assists, totaling 27 points. This performance mirrored his career-best from the 2023-24 season.
Playing a crucial depth role, Drury contributed to the Avalanche's Presidents’ Trophy win and added three goals and five points in 13 Stanley Cup Playoff games, despite the team being swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final.
As Drury settles into his new home with the Predators, fans in Nashville are eager to see how his talents will bolster the team's lineup in the seasons to come.
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Now the focus shifts to the bigger lineup question hanging over the summer. Joe Sakic is reportedly sorting through free-agent options to address the vacancy left by Valeri Nichushkin, and the Avalanche are clearly treating that spot as more than a depth concern. With the draft in the books and the trade market already producing one minor move, Colorados next step could tell a lot about how aggressive it plans to be before camp opens. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Release 2026 Development Camp Roster For Fans To Watch
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It is the kind of camp that can offer a first impression long before training camp opens in the fall, especially when the roster includes a blend of drafted prospects and invitees trying to make an impression. The public setting adds another layer of intrigue, because once the drills start June 30, the real interest will be in which players look ready to separate themselves from the pack by the time the camp wraps up July 2. [Read more 🡒]