The Nashville Predators have continued their roster-building by signing center Jack Drury, forward Chase Bradley, and acquiring a 2029 third‑round draft pick from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for prospects Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux.
General manager Chris MacFarland added another former Avalanche acquisition to the Predators’ lineup, swapping forward Ross Colton for a second‑ and third‑round pick just a week earlier. While some fans question the timing, the additions of Colton and Drury provide Nashville with reliable forward depth capable of playing significant NHL minutes as younger prospects such as Yegor Surin, Brady Martin and Felix Nilsson continue to develop.
What the Predators Are Getting
The 26‑year‑old center, Jack Drury, comes from a prominent hockey family—his uncle Chris Drury was formerly an Avalanche forward and now serves as the New York Rangers’ general manager. Drury is known for his defensive responsibilities and reliability in his own zone, posting a career‑high 10 goals and 27 points last season despite a limited offensive upside. He recorded a +15 plus/minus and averaged 14 minutes and 29 seconds of ice time per game.
Drury’s strengths lie in faceoffs and shorthanded play. He posted a 58.1% faceoff win rate, the highest among Avalanche forwards who logged over 500 draws (Gabriel Landeskog led all forwards at 62.3%). On the penalty kill, he averaged the most ice time among Avalanche forwards at two minutes per game, second only to Parker Kelly.
Drury originally joined Colorado as part of the 2025 trade that sent Martin Necas to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Mikko Rantanen. Facing uncertainty as a pending restricted free agent eligible for arbitration, the Avalanche’s general manager Joe Sakic elected to move him, thereby eliminating all pending RFAs from the roster.
What the Avalanche Are Getting
In return, Colorado acquires two older forward prospects. First, 23‑year‑old Fedor Svechkov was a first‑round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft but has yet to fulfill that expectation. He has contributed 12 goals and 34 points across 122 games over the last two seasons, providing modest depth.
Svechkov’s faceoff performance is well below Drury’s, hovering at a 40.5% career win rate. He continues to search for a defined role in the NHL, lacking a clear skill set and falling short of the offensive output typically expected from a first‑round selection.
Zachary L’Heureux, also 23, earned fan favor last season for his physical, “mean streak” style. He served as a gritty bottom‑six forward, recording five goals, 15 points and 198 hits during that campaign.
L’Heureux’s production dipped in the 2025‑26 season. He divided his time between Nashville and the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, posting 14 goals and 28 points in 30 games with the Admirals, while contributing only four goals and one assist in 25 NHL games with the Predators. He will begin the next season on Colorado’s roster unless a trade is arranged, as he would be subject to waivers before any demotion to the AHL.
Both prospects are under team control at modest salaries: Svechkov’s contract carries an annual cap hit of $1.25 million, while L’Heureux is at $875,000. Their deals extend through the 2027‑28 season.
Cap Outlook
The trade leaves Nashville with roughly $23.5 million in cap space heading into the next season. The club still needs to address extension‑eligible restricted free agents such as Luke Evangelista and Matthew Wood, but ample room remains to manage those contracts.
Colorado, meanwhile, sits on about $4.85 million in available cap, with pending free agents that include Brett Burns, Joel Kiviranta, Brett Kulak and Nick Blankenburg. The team also faces potential extensions for Scott Wedgewood, Nicholas Roy and Artturi Lehkonen, which could prompt further roster adjustments. Should General Manager Joe Sakic need additional salary‑cap relief, Predators GM Chris MacFarland is likely to be among the first contacts.
