Avs, Preds Shake Up Rosters.
Avalanche and Predators complete four-player trade, exchanging prospects and veteran Jack Drury.
Key Points
L’Heureux carries a notable suspension history, including a 10-game QMJHL ban for assaulting a fan with his stick and an NHL suspension in January 2025 for slew-footing Minnesota’s Jared Spurgeon.
Svechkov is a 2021 first-round pick who has appeared in 122 career NHL games with 34 points, along with substantial AHL experience (80 regular-season games with Milwaukee for 59 points) and 25 Calder Cup Playoff contests totaling 20 points.
Drury posted 58.1 percent on face-offs this past season, ranking among the league leaders for players with a high volume of draws and providing the Predators with strong middle‑ice depth in the face-off circle.
Bradley is a young forward who spent most of last season with the Colorado Eagles in the AHL and appeared in two NHL games with the Avalanche, adding depth to Colorado’s forward pipeline.
This deal marks the second trade between the Avalanche and Predators in short order since Chris MacFarland left Denver to become Nashville’s president and GM, underscoring a rapid reshaping of both teams’ rosters.
The Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators completed their second trade in eight days on June 24, sending four players between the two clubs. Colorado acquired forwards Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L'Heureux from Nashville in exchange for center Jack Drury, forward Chase Bradley, and a 2029 third-round pick, according to Colorado Avalanche and NHL.com.
The deal is the second swap between the teams since Chris MacFarland left Colorado to become Nashville's new GM on June 2. In just 22 days, MacFarland has now pulled three notable players from his former club, leading some to dub the Predators "Avalanche East," Heavy Sports noted.
Drury Gives Nashville a Face-Off Specialist
Jack Drury is the centerpiece of Nashville's haul. The 26-year-old center posted 10 goals and 27 points in all 82 games last season. More importantly, he won 58.1% of his face-offs — ranking fifth in the NHL among high-volume takers — NHL.com reported. Nashville ranked 17th in the league at face-offs last season, winning just 49.96% of draws, according to Pro Hockey Rumors.
MacFarland called Drury "a hard-working, reliable, full-sheet of the ice center" and said his addition "bolsters our depth in the middle of the ice." Nashville also gets Chase Bradley, a 24-year-old who spent most of last season with the AHL's Colorado Eagles, recording 12 points in 42 games, per Daily Faceoff.
Colorado Bets on Two Young First-Round Forwards
Colorado gets two former first-round picks. Svechkov, 23, was selected 19th overall in 2021. He appeared in 70 games last season and has 34 points in 122 career NHL games. He also dominated in the AHL, putting up 59 points in 80 regular-season games and 20 points in 25 Calder Cup Playoff contests, per Colorado Avalanche.
L'Heureux, also a 2021 first-rounder (27th overall), brings energy and physicality. He managed 5 points in 25 NHL games last season. Together, both players carry a combined cap hit of roughly $2.125 million for 2026-27, according to Daily Faceoff. That is a key factor: Drury was an RFA seeking $3 million to $3.5 million, and Colorado had only $4.8 million in projected cap space, Heavy Sports reported.
L'Heureux's Long Disciplinary Record Draws Scrutiny
L'Heureux's history is the most debated part of the deal. He received nine suspensions over three QMJHL seasons, including a 10-game ban for assaulting a fan with his stick, per Yardbarker. In the AHL, he was suspended twice more for a sucker punch and a post-game incident, according to Sports Illustrated.
At the NHL level, he was suspended three games in January 2025 for slew-footing Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon, leaving Spurgeon out for three weeks, Scouting The Refs reported. National outlets note Colorado is taking on "the league's most volatile prospect" in L'Heureux. Whether his talent outweighs that risk remains the central question around this trade.
MacFarland's Rapid Raid on His Former Club
This trade is part of a pattern. On June 16, MacFarland completed his first deal with Colorado, getting center Ross Colton and prospect Isak Posch in exchange for goalie Magnus Chrona and two third-round picks, per Predlines. Now, with this second trade, he has added Drury — a player he himself acquired for Colorado in January 2025 as part of the Mikko Rantanen blockbuster, Pro Hockey Rumors noted.
For Colorado, the moves signal a shift away from immediate contention. Sakic is trading proven veterans for cheaper, younger players and future picks. For Nashville, MacFarland is injecting what one analyst called "Avalanche DNA" into a rebuilding roster. TSN's Pierre LeBrun noted Drury brings "playoff-ready" experience after appearing in 13 playoff games during Colorado's 2026 Western Conference Final run.
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