The Columbus Blue Jackets made a big addition on the eve of the draft by acquiring do-it-all winger Valeri Nichushkin in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday.
The Blue Jackets sent the 43rd pick this weekend, a third-rounder next year and a fifth-rounder in 2028 to Colorado.
“Valeri is a big, strong forward who skates exceptionally well, can score goals, win puck battles and doesn’t shy away from playing in the hard areas,” Columbus general manager Don Waddell said. “He is an accomplished two-way player who competes at a high level and we are very excited to welcome him to the Blue Jackets family.”
Nichushkin scored nine goals during the Avalanche’s 2022 Stanley Cup run and played the clinching Game 6 in the final on a broken right foot. He has been one of their most useful players when on the ice.
Staying there has been an issue for the Russian who is now 31. He had off-ice trouble that sidelined him during the playoffs in 2023 and ’24, the latter being an indefinite suspension four months after entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program in January of that year.
Nichushkin has four more seasons left on his contract at a salary cap hit of $6.125 million. Moving on from him gives space for Colorado — with president of hockey operations Joe Sakic back as GM following Chris MacFarland’s exit to Nashville — which may be needed for a long-term extension with No. 1 defenseman Cale Makar.
In the Eastern Conference, meanwhile, the Florida Panthers ensured they would not lose any of their grit with A.J. Greer expected to leave in free agency by acquiring Garnet Hathaway from the Philadelphia Flyers.
Florida sent a fifth-round pick in the draft Saturday and a fourth-rounder next year to Philadelphia for the 34-year-old winger. Hathaway has one season left on his contract at a salary cap hit of $2.4 million.
Hathaway joins the Panthers fresh off them trading for Brady Tkachuk to unite him with brother Matthew after missing the playoffs following back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2024 and ’25.
Greer played a key depth role on the second of those title runs. Now 29, he could be a coveted addition when he hits the open market Wednesday.
The Washington Capitals made a couple more moves during their busy week. They sent pending restricted free agent forward Hendrix Lapierre to rival Pittsburgh. The Penguins traded a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-rounder for the 24-year-old who never fully realized his potential with the team that drafted him and may benefit from a change of scenery.
The Capitals also dealt defenseman Declan Chisholm to New Jersey for a 2027 fourth-round pick.
Washington subtracted after adding two potential difference-makers in trades for Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch.
With the first round of the draft Friday night, the wheeling and dealing is only expected to pick up. After sending Kyrou to the Caps for fellow forward Connor McMichael, the 16th pick and a prospect, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said the trade “allows the other 31 teams to digest what St. Louis is trying to accomplish and see if they can participate.”
“Instead of 12 hours, it allows them 48-plus hours to really dig into what they have and what we have and see if there’s a potential match there,” said Armstrong, whose team has a league-high four first-rounders. “Everyone knows what we have, and if they want to engage St. Louis at pick 1, 2, 3, 4, they know what we have and I would welcome the call.”
Toronto’s John Chayka told reporters Wednesday the Maple Leafs listened to calls about the first pick but decided to keep it. They are expected to take Penn State’s Gavin McKenna, a winger from the Yukon who has generated buzz for quite some time.
San Jose is worth watching closer after trading young forward William Eklund, who is cost-controlled through 2029, to Ottawa for the No. 9 pick, giving the Sharks another in the top 10 after No. 2.
“I think teams are curious to what what our plan was to do with 9,” GM Mike Grier said. “There’s lots more calls on 9 and probably two more on 2 — one that’s real interesting. ... All stuff for us to consider.”
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/nhl
Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press
