DENVER – The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today the team has acquired a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick in the NHL Draft from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Valeri Nichushkin.
The 2026 second-round pick was originally owned by St. Louis and was acquired by Columbus in a previous trade with Pittsburgh on Dec. 29, 2025. Before that, the Penguins acquired that pick in a trade with the Blues on Aug. 13, 2024. It is the 11th selection (43rd overall) of the 2026 second round. The 2027 third-round pick and the 2028 fifth-round pick are both the Blue Jackets’ own.
Nichushkin competed in 404 regular-season games for the Avalanche from 2019-26 and registered 283 points (131g/152a). He was also a member of the 2022 Stanley Cup championship team and registered 40 points (27g/13a) in 74 postseason contests with Colorado over that same span. He originally signed with the Avalanche as a free agent on Aug. 19, 2019.
