Following Trade From Colorado, Drury Excited to Prove His Worth With Preds

Perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Jack Drury is now a member of the Predators.  

After all, Chris MacFarland had already acquired the defensive-minded centerman once before in January of 2025 when he was general manager of the Colorado Avalanche.

Shortly after receiving a new title in Nashville as President of Hockey Operations and GM, MacFarland didn’t waste much time calling up his old team and finding a way to get Drury on his roster once more.

The Predators acquired Drury - along with forward Chase Bradley and a third-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft - from the Avalanche in exchange for forwards Zachary L’Heureux and Fedor Svechkov on June 24.

Four days later, the Preds inked the restricted free agent to a five-year, $22.5 million contract to make sure Drury would be in Nashville for the foreseeable future - and he doesn’t intend on letting MacFarland down. 

“It means a lot,” Drury said Thursday of MacFarland acquiring him once more. “I have a ton of respect for ‘CMac.’ Out of the people I've met in hockey, he’s up at the top with people I respect the most; just his character as a person, aside from the game, and then as far as hockey goes, he's shown a lot of faith in my ability, and I certainly want to deliver for him. I’m incredibly excited that he's brought me over with him again, and I want to prove that it was a good decision, and that I was worth it.”

Drury already seems to be well on his way to doing just that. 

The 26-year-old matched his career high in points last season with 27 (10g-17a) after appearing in all 82 games for the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche. Drury tallied a career-high 10 goals – all coming at even strength – and recorded seven multi-point games while averaging a career-best 14:29 of ice time. 

Additionally, Drury further established himself as one of the League’s best in the face-off circle, winning 58.1 percent of his draws, the fifth-highest percentage among players who took at least 900 faceoffs in 2025-26.

Those numbers aside, MacFarland has already heaped plenty of praise on Drury and what he can bring to the Predators - including his off-ice prowess. 

"He’s an elite, two-way defensive center who, if he's not one of the best defensive guys in the League, I don't know who is, but I think the really important part for me with Jack is he's a culture changer,” MacFarland said of Drury last week. “He’s a competitive guy on and off the ice that does the right things day in and day out that help teams win hockey games, and I think his impact on an organization goes beyond the ice. It’s in the locker room. The impact on the future young Preds, whether it's Brady Martin or [Egor] Surin or [David] Edstrom or Felix Nilsson - it’s really hard to put a number on that. But having been around him and seeing what he does live and in color, there are things that he will impact that you can't put a just can't put a value on.”

Drury appreciates those compliments from MacFarland, and the forward is anticipating not only helping to lead by example in the room, but also showing exactly why he can be such a valuable piece on the ice once it’s time to carve out a role with the Preds. 

“They’ve got some really high-end talent up top with some superstars that have been dominant in the NHL for a long time, and then some really good young players, too,” Drury said of his new club. “The teams I've been on recently, I haven't played with a ton of kind of up-and-coming young stars, and I know the Preds have some of that talent, so I think it'll be great to see kind of both ends of the spectrum there. 

“As far as my role goes, [it’s probably] not too different from what was expected of me in Colorado. Hopefully I can take on a bit more responsibility in general, but be good defensively, help offensively when I can, be good on the penalty kill, and just kind of play a solid, 200-foot game. I think that's kind of been who I am since I've joined the League, and I know I can take my game to another level - but at the same time just kind of stick with what makes me good and do what I can within my role.”

Drury’s father, Ted, played eight NHL seasons from 1993-01, and his uncle, Chris Drury, is the current President of Hockey Operations/General Manager for the New York Rangers.

The move to Nashville was a welcomed one from a family perspective, too - the oldest of five siblings, Jack’s younger sister is a Nashville songwriter. 

At least a few Drurys are sure to be in the Bridgestone Arena stands sometime next season, and one of the top defensive centers in the NHL plans on making them proud - as well as his new club. 

“I was always kind of surprised at where [the Predators] were in standings whenever we played them [last season], because quite frankly, they dominated us the first three times we played them,” Drury said of the Preds. “I know it's a fast team, and it's a really good mix of some veteran guys that have been superstars in the League for a long time, and then some young guys that kind of bring a lot of speed and energy and skills. I know they've got the depth now, obviously incredible goaltending, so it's a group that I know is going to have some good expectations, and I'm excited to be a part of it.”

Stay tuned next week for a special edition of the Predators Official Podcast and an extended interview with Jack Drury.