The Colorado Avalanche sent winger Valeri Nichushkin to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday in a move that signals the offseason in Denver is not going to be quiet. The 31-year-old, a key piece of Colorado's 2022 Stanley Cup run who settled into a middle-six role this season, is headed east while the Avs stock up on draft picks and start retooling ahead of the draft and free agency.
The deal
Colorado picked up a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 third-round pick, and a 2028 fifth-round pick in exchange for Nichushkin, according to the Colorado Avalanche. The club noted that the 2026 second-rounder is slotted at No. 43 overall and originally belonged to St. Louis. The haul gives the Avs more options on the draft floor and something of a safety net as they juggle short-term depth needs with longer-range planning.
Columbus' view
The Blue Jackets confirmed the move and immediately cast Nichushkin as a size-and-skill boost for their forward group. In the team release, Columbus described him as "a big, strong forward who skates exceptionally well." General manager Don Waddell called him an accomplished two-way player who competes at a high level, per the Columbus Blue Jackets. For Columbus, the cost is a set of future picks in return for a veteran who can slide into a middle-six role right away.
Sakic's early shakeup
Joe Sakic resumed general manager duties for the Avalanche on June 2, and moving Nichushkin is the clearest sign yet that a roster reset is underway. Colorado is only a season removed from winning the Presidents' Trophy in 2025-26, but since Sakic's return, the club has already dealt forwards Ross Colton and Jack Drury, as outlined in coverage from KRDO and Sportsnet. Put together, that means three forwards from last season's top-seeded regular-season roster are now off the board since Sakic stepped back into day-to-day control.
Numbers and cap realities
Nichushkin finished the 2025-26 regular season with 17 goals and 49 points in 72 games, according to league stat pages cited by ESPN. Contract data show he carries a $6.125 million cap hit with four seasons left on his eight-year deal, a number that helps explain why Colorado chose to convert his spot into draft capital, per PuckPedia.
What comes next
The move leaves the Avalanche holding extra draft chips they can either use at the 2026 NHL Draft or flip in subsequent trades. How Sakic spends those assets will go a long way in determining whether this wave of changes produces quick results. For Columbus, the wager is that a proven veteran winger can steady a still-developing scoring group and nudge the rebuild forward. Either way, Thursday's swap is one more reminder that the NHL offseason is already humming before the calendar even turns to July.
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