COLUMBUS — The Columbus Blue Jackets have made a major pre-draft splash, acquiring 31-year-old winger Valeri Nichushkin from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for three draft picks.

Heading back to Colorado is a 2026 second-round pick (43rd overall, originally belonging to St. Louis), alongside a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick.

Blue Jackets President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell praised the veteran forward's aggressive, complete game.

"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," said Waddell. "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."

The 6-foot-4 power forward is coming off a season where he tallied 49 points (17 goals, 32 assists) in 72 games. Over his 11-year NHL career with Dallas and Colorado, Nichushkin has registered 357 career points and proven to be a clutch performer with 24 career game-winning goals. He was also a pivotal component of the Avalanche's 2022 Stanley Cup championship roster.

The trade acts as a significant cap-clearing maneuver for the Avalanche, who shed Nichushkin’s $6.125 million average annual value (AAV) over the next 4 seasons. For Columbus, the deal represents a high-reward, high-risk calculation. While Nichushkin brings top-six scoring and size, his availability has been a concern in recent years, including run-ins with the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.