The NHL trade deadline is one of the most intense times of the season, filled with speculation, last-minute deals, and roster shakeups that can redefine a team's trajectory. For players, it represents a life-altering change that requires rapid adjustment both on and off the ice.
Jack Drury knows this all too well, as his world was turned upside down on January 24th when he was traded from the Carolina Hurricanes to the Colorado Avalanche as part of a blockbuster three-team deal involving Mikko Rantanen and Martin Necas.
Although Martin Necas garnered most of the attention as part of the Rantanen-return, Drury's addition was also significant and intentional. The Avs specifically targeted Drury, recognizing the value he brings as a dependable two-way center.
So what does life look like after an NHL trade? From logistics and relocation to forming new friendships and adapting to a different system, Drury has embraced the transition with a positive attitude.
Getting traded isn’t just about changing teams, it’s about uprooting your entire life overnight.
Fortunately for Drury, the process was made much easier thanks to the Avs’ support system. "In Carolina, my leasing manager was really nice so he got me out of my lease after just one extra month," he explained. "Finding an apartment here, guys on the team text you the different locations and I went and looked at a couple different buildings and found one I liked… The team makes it pretty easy though. They cover all the transportation costs and everything like that. Erin DeGraff helped everything with that. She got my car shipped out here and all the furniture, so (she) made it really easy."
DeGraff, the Avalanche’s Director of Team Services & Immigration, played a crucial role in easing Drury’s transition. “I was here (in Colorado and the) moving company in Carolina moved it all. And then when I got back from a road trip, I had a ton of boxes in my apartment and spent the day unpacking everything. The moving company does all the heavy lifting.”
Adding to the convenience, the timing of the 4 Nations Face-Off break provided Drury with a much-needed window to settle in. "That was huge. When we got back from that, I had my apartment, everything in my apartment. It gave me a few days to kind of unpack everything (and) get everything set up, which was huge and really nice."
The team provided rental cars and Drury and Necas often carpooled until their vehicles arrived.
Joining a new team midseason can be jarring, but Drury found the Avs locker room to be super welcoming. "I think it's easy when you're surrounded by the guys for so much time. It's not like you're just clocking in, clocking out. You're together late nights and just kind of thrown right into it, so I think you're around everyone so much right away that it makes it pretty easy."
Hockey culture, he noted, played a big role in making the transition seamless. "Any team you go to, there's different personalities (where) some guys are a little bit more reserved and want to keep to themselves and their families, some guys are a lot more open and talkative, so it's just kind of finding what you like and I got really lucky here. The culture is so good and everyone was so welcoming that it wasn't too tough."
As for some first friends on the team? "Sammy Malinski, I’ve sat next to him in the locker room, college guy too, so I played against him. (He’s been) really nice. Cale [Makar] and Nate [MacKinnon] texted me and Necas as soon as we got traded here, which was really cool. Logan O'Connor, Parker Kelly, just kind of guys I've played with a lot. Miles Wood, Ross Colton - really a lot of guys are just really friendly and helpful."
Being traded in a deal involving a franchise cornerstone like Mikko Rantanen could bring added pressure, but Drury saw it as a confidence boost, "That was something I was really excited about,” he said.
“It's always a good feeling to be wanted by a team. Especially when you're getting traded away from another team, it's nice to be going somewhere that you know really wants you and that made an effort to get you. That was definitely comforting and made it a really positive transition."
Drury’s role in Colorado is similar to what he played in Carolina, with a focus on strong two-way play, winning draws, and penalty killing. "I think some small differences, but mostly pretty similar, which is kind of the player I am,” said Drury. “At the end of the day, we have such a good team here now. It's really just, ‘Do whatever you can to let the team win,” he explained.
“After the deadline (with) how deep we got and how stacked we got, we all know we could do something special here. So now it's just kind of finding whatever we can do with the team."
One of the biggest transitions came in working with assistant coach Nolan Pratt on the penalty kill. "Pratter is awesome. Really smart guy, good person, great hockey mind. He made it really easy, breaking it down with video, what he expected, and then talking to me throughout the first week or two going through my shifts on the penalty kill and what I could do a little differently.”
Drury’s defensive reliability has been his calling card, but Colorado’s high-tempo system provides him with an opportunity to elevate his offensive game. "You definitely get a little bit more freedom in the o-zone to make some plays and it's such a fast team. You're surrounded by so many good players that there's gonna be some more offense. But at the end of the day, once you get to this point in the year, it's about winning games and you got to kind of put that aside, the personal production aspect of it, but I've loved it here so far, really excited for the push down the line."
Perhaps the most striking element of Drury’s transition is how naturally he’s meshed with Colorado's championship-caliber culture. "It's a really hard-working group first and foremost. It starts with the leadership, [MacKinnon] and [Makar] and [Landeskog], [Toews] all work really hard, and when you see those guys working hard it makes you want to work hard,” he said. “The expectation is to win, which is exactly what you want."
That winning mentality has been ingrained in Drury throughout his career, from winning the Calder Cup with the Chicago Wolves in 2022 to capturing an SHL championship with Vaxjo in 2021. Now in Colorado, he finds himself on a team with Stanley Cup aspirations, determined to make the most of the opportunity.
As the Avs push towards the playoffs, Jack Drury’s resilience and adaptability following the trade directly translates to his strengths as a player.
Since the trade, Drury has the highest faceoff percentage at the dot (54.1%) among the centers and has logged over 30 minutes on the penalty kill in 23 games.
He’s become a mainstay on Colorado’s fourth line with Logan O’Connor and Parker Kelly, and Jared Bednar has been unwavering in singing its praises, “Those guys work extremely hard.” Bednar loves this line so much, he’ll make lineup decisions like pairing Joel Kiviranta with Charlie Coyle and Ross Colton to ensure that the Drury line stays intact.
Though the line has seen some rotation down the stretch here with Jimmy Vesey and Miles Wood drawing in to get in games and stay fresh, Drury has been the unmoving piece.
According to Bednar, the team has seen the lowest defensive turnover rate in the league over the last ten games, and he credits both the defensemen and the centers.
O’Connor has validated the strength of his line when asked about comparisons to the Cogliano-Helm-O’Connor line from the 2022 Cup team, “Honestly, very similar,” he said. “I like to think we can be put out there against anyone matchup wise which is definitely advantageous come playoffs when you maybe don’t have matchups on the road and you can’t control that… Just be responsible, I think that’s the biggest thing: be good in your d-zone and then try to create offensively from there… It’s about creating momentum and energy, and I think our line is something that can do that going forward.”
In evaluating a trade, we can get caught up in trying to identify a winner.
But beyond the numbers, a trade is also about a player finding a new home, embracing a new role, and integrating into a new team. You can analyze a player’s past production and advanced stats to predict their impact, and you can assess their stylistic fit, but perhaps the Avs take an even broader view.
It’s not just about replicating past success, it’s about potential. What can this player become? How can they grow? The Avs prioritize players who won’t just adapt but thrive, emphasizing cultural fit, relentless competitiveness, and a shared commitment to one goal: a deep Stanley Cup playoff run. It’s a good thing Drury has settled into his new home because the work (and fun) is just getting started.
