Drury's $22.5 Million Deal
Predators Secure Faceoff Specialist Jack Drury with $22.5 Million, Five-Year Contract
The Nashville Predators have signed forward Jack Drury to a five-year, $22.5 million contract, just four days after trading for him. The deal carries a $4.5 million cap hit per year and locks up the 26-year-old center through the 2030-31 season, according to AP.
Drury is one of the best faceoff men in hockey. He won 58.1% of his draws last season — fifth-highest in the NHL among players with at least 900 faceoffs, AP reported. Nashville GM Chris MacFarland called him "a hard-working, reliable, full-sheet of the ice center who can handle the tough assignments while being elite in the faceoff circle."
Nashville Trades Two First-Round Picks to Land Drury
Nashville acquired Drury on June 24, 2026, from the Colorado Avalanche. The Predators gave up forwards Zachary L'Heureux and Fedor Svechkov — both former 2021 first-round picks — plus forward Chase Bradley and a 2029 third-round draft pick came back the other way, according to The Hockey News.
MacFarland knows Drury well. He was the Colorado GM when the Avalanche first acquired Drury from Carolina in January 2025. Now in Nashville, MacFarland traded for him a second time. The signing came four days later, bypassing what would have been a restricted free agent arbitration process, BD Times reported.
$4.5 Million Per Year Sparks an Overpay Debate
Drury posted career highs of 10 goals and 27 points in 82 games last season. Analysts projected he would earn around $2.9 million per year on his next deal. Nashville's $4.5 million AAV is a big jump above that market estimate, Newsday reported.
Supporters argue the rising salary cap makes the deal reasonable. A center who wins nearly 60% of faceoffs and plays in all situations is hard to find. Critics compare it to overpays for bottom-six forwards who put up modest point totals. The contract includes a full no-trade clause in Years 2 and 3, then a modified eight-team no-trade clause in Years 4 and 5.
MacFarland Bets on Drury as a Culture Changer
MacFarland went beyond stats when explaining the move. "He's a culture changer," the GM said. "He does the right things day in and day out that help teams win hockey games. His impact goes beyond the ice." MacFarland specifically named young Predators Brady Martin, Egor Surin, and David Edstrom as players who will benefit from Drury's presence, according to SM Daily Journal.
Drury comes from a hockey family. His father, Ted Drury, played eight NHL seasons. His uncle, Chris Drury, is the President and GM of the New York Rangers, The Facts reported. Jack Drury played all 82 regular-season games for Colorado last year and added 3 goals and 2 assists in 13 playoff games as the Avalanche reached the Western Conference Final.
Deal Leaves Nashville $19.87 Million in Cap Space
The signing leaves Nashville with roughly $19.87 million in cap room heading into July 1 free agency. Drury's $4.5 million cap hit matches what veteran center Ryan O'Reilly earns. O'Reilly has just one year left on his deal. Drury is now positioned to take over his defensive role when O'Reilly's tenure ends, according to Airdrie City View.
Year 1 of Drury's deal pays $4 million. Years 2 through 5 each pay $4.625 million. Nashville will carry him through age 31. The Predators are clearly rebuilding around a defensive identity — and they are betting Drury's shutdown skills and faceoff dominance are worth the price, Leader Telegram reported.
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