The Colorado Avalanche have traded center Jack Drury to the Nashville Predators as the NHL trades continue this week.

According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, Drury, Chase Bradley, and a third-round pick are being sent to the Predators for Zachary L’Heureux and Fedor Svechkov.

“Full trade details, per sources:

To #preds:
Jack Drury
Chase Bradley
2029 COL 3rd Round Pick

To #GoAvsGo:
Zachary L’Heureux
Fedor Svechkov”

Jack Drury is the Centerpiece of the Trade

Although this trade involves four players and a draft pick, Drury is the centerpiece of the deal.

The 26-year-old American just completed his fifth NHL season, and it was by far his best one yet, as he played in all 82 regular-season games for Colorado, scoring 10 goals with 27 points and helping the Avs win the Presidents’ Trophy as the best team in the league during the regular season.

Drury also had a strong playoff run for the Avalanche, scoring 3 goals and 5 points for Colorado as a depth player.

His contract is expiring, however, and as an RFA, he is expected to get a raise on the $1,725,000 that he made the past two seasons.

With Colorado being capped out, they weren’t going to be able to offer Drury the raise that he desires, but Nashville can give him the money he wants.

Colorado Trades With Former GM Chris MacFarland

Earlier this month, the Predators let their former general manager, Chris MacFarland, go to the Predators and take a promotion as he’s their team president. Now, just a few weeks later, they have made a second trade with MacFarland, one that makes a lot of sense since MacFarland knows the players that are going back to the Predators.

Just a few weeks ago, the Avalanche traded Ross Colton to the Predators for a pair of draft picks and a swap of bit goalies, so MacFarland seems to really like some of these players he previously had in Colorado and wants to bring them with him to Nashville.

He previously traded for Drury during his time as the Avalanche GM, so clearly, MacFarland likes him, and he previously signed Bradley, too.

As for the players that the Avalanche are getting in return, both L’Heureux and Svechkov are former first-round picks, so they both come with a high draft pedigree. The Avalanche must have liked both players, as they traded a proven NHL center in Drury, plus another player and a draft pick, to get them.