Blue Jackets acquire Valeri Nichushkin from Avalanche for draft picks
The Columbus Blue Jackets acquired winger Valeri Nichushkin from the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday afternoon in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick.
Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman was the first to report the trade and confirm a draft pick return.
🚨Trade To #CBJ Valeri Nichushkin 31 y/o F, Yr 5/8 $6.25M To #GoAvsGo ‘26 2nd (#43) - STL ‘27 3rd ‘28 5th CBJ adds net $6.125M cap hit puckpedia.com/trade/1140?6a3…
Nichushkin was in the second tier of Daily Faceoff’s Trade Board. A member of the Avalanche for seven years, he won the Stanley Cup with the team in 2022. Once an excellent two-way forward, he’s seen his defensive game slip in recent years, but still drives offense at a strong rate. He’s coming off one of his stronger offensive seasons in his career with 17 goals and 32 assists for 49 points in 72 games, and that’s despite a 5.9% shooting percentage on the power play.
Nichushkin has four years remaining on an eight-year contract with a $6.125 million cap hit.
With the threat of losing a few forwards to free agency, Nichushkin gives the Blue Jackets a forward with term. Columbus still has more than $26 million in cap space after the trade, with 12 unrestricted free agents and nine restricted free agents left to re-sign, highlighted by Boone Jenner, Mason Marchment, Adam Fantilli and Jet Greaves.
As for the Avs, they free up salary cap space for next season, and move on from a forward who struggled with injuries and off-ice issues over the last several years. Colorado now has just under $11 million in salary cap space after moving on from Ross Colton, Jack Drury and now Nichushkin, with 14 UFAs and six RFAs highlighted by Brett Kulak, Nick Blankenburg and Brent Burns.
The 2026 second-round pick originally belonged to the St. Louis Blues, and is the 43rd overall selection in Friday’s draft. The Blue Jackets originally got the pick as part of the return for sending Egor Chinakhov to the Pittsburgh Penguins in late December, while the Pens got the pick from the Blues during a draft pick swap in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 2027 third- and 2028 fifth-round picks are the Blue Jackets’ original picks.