Former Avalanche Forward Wastes No Time Scoring His First Goal With Nashville

Former Colorado Avalanche forward Jack Drury scored his first goal with the Nashville Predators on Saturday, helping his new team pick up a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues.

Drury found the net 8:14 into the third period after Predators captain Roman Josi sent a pass across the ice to him in front of the net. Drury got the shot past Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington to add to Nashville's lead.

Drury spent the last season and a half with Colorado after coming over from the Carolina Hurricanes in January 2025. He was part of the blockbuster trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to Carolina, with Martin Necas and Drury heading to the Avalanche in return.

He played 33 regular-season games with Colorado after the trade, scoring five goals and adding four assists. Drury also appeared in all seven of the Avalanche's playoff games that spring before they were eliminated by the Dallas Stars.

Drury remained with Colorado for the entire 2025-26 season, playing in all 82 regular-season games. He scored 10 goals and recorded 17 assists, setting a career high in goals. His 27 points also matched his previous career best. Despite being a regular part of the lineup, his time with the Avalanche came to an end in the offseason.

Colorado reportedly wanted to bring Drury back, but the two sides couldn't agree on a contract. Drury was looking for a higher salary than the Avalanche were willing to pay for a fourth-line center, and the team ultimately moved on. Nashville acquired him in exchange for Zachary L'Heureux and Fedor Svechkov before signing him to a five-year, $22.5 million contract on June 28.

Drury had also shown he could contribute in the postseason during his time with Colorado. Across 13 playoff games in his final two seasons with the Avalanche, he recorded three goals and two assists for five points. One of those goals came shorthanded in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas swept Colorado in the series, ending the Avalanche's playoff run.

Drury's departure also wasn't the only connection between Colorado and Nashville this offseason. The Predators acquired Ross Colton in a separate trade, and the former Avalanche forward scored his first goal with Nashville on Oct. 10 against the Ottawa Senators in a 3-2 shootout loss.

With Drury now on the scoresheet for Nashville, both former Avalanche forwards have found the net with their new team. For Colorado, the trade marked the end of Drury's time with the organization after 115 regular-season games, 15 goals, 21 assists and 36 points.