After trading away Jack Drury, the Colorado Avalanche made another change to the lineup by shipping out winger Valeri Nichushkin to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a second-, third-, and fifth-round pick across the next three drafts. Nichushkin had 17 goals and 49 assists in 72 games last season. He has four years left on his current contract which carries an average annual value of $6.125M, per PuckPedia.

What Columbus Gets

At his best, Nichushkin was one of the best two-way wingers in the league. That is not hyperbole, either, as Evolving Hockey has him with the best expected goals impact across the three seasons from 2019-2022, posting a goals impact that ranked among the top-25 forwards in the league. In a full season, he was capable of putting up 30-goal, 40-assist seasons and doing so with a hefty amount of hits and shots. The problem is never played enough games to get to either of those marks in any season of his career.

Readers will notice that his dominant stretch ended in 2022. That was four years ago. His expected goals and goals impacts have varied wildly from very good (as in 2025-26) to very bad (as in 2024-25). His 72 games played in 2025-26 are the most he's played in any single season in 10 years, and his prior four seasons saw him average 53 games a year whether due to injury, suspension, or entering the Player's Assistance Program. He will turn 32 years old before the 2026-27 season is over, and he saw his role diminished with the Avalanche as other players like Martin Necas superseded him on the depth chart. If Columbus gets the Nichushkin of 2022, they are getting a bona fide star winger. If they get the Nichushkin of 2025, they are getting a middle-6 winger.

With Mason Marchment presumably not re-signing, there will be plenty of minutes for Nichushkin to take in Columbus, whether Kirill Marchenko is traded or not. He will get a change to skate on the top line and top power-play unit, the question is if he plays well enough to stay there, and if he stays healthy enough to be a reliable fantasy option. Those are both very much open questions.

This opens up some cap space for the Avs, but that will have to be spent on the blue line, so more than anything, this gives a chance for the newly-acquired forwards in Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L'Heureux to actually play middle-6 minutes. It is up to them to stay there.

It is a wonder if this means Nazem Kadri will be moved to the wing. If they do that, they would have a set top-6 group, and likely top-heavy minutes with little left for the third and fourth lines.

Who This Helps

Fedor Svechkov

Who This Hurts

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