The Nashville Predators added more offseason homework onto their plate when they traded for Jack Drury, as he was an RFA who needed to be signed. That extra item can now be crossed off their list, as Drury has now been extended to a five-year deal worth $4.5M per year, one that also has movement protection.
The #Smashville signed recently acquired 26 y/o F Jack Drury to a 5 year $4.5M cap hit contact
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) June 28, 2026
Yr 1: $4M Salary
Yr 2-5: $4.625M Salary
Full NTC Yr 2-3, 8 team NTC Yr 4-5
Deal covers 1 RFA & 4 UFA seasons
Rep'd by Pat Brisson @CAAHockey https://t.co/CTf8fYvxcs
At first glance, it seems like a steep commitment for a guy who has always been a bottom six forward throughout his NHL career. That being said, it is clear that Chris MacFarland and the Predators had a strong sense of purpose with the decisions to trade for him and extend him for five more years.
They traded not one, but two of their young prospects in Zachary L'Heureux and Fedor Svechkov to make it happen, which was telling enough on its own. Even more telling were MacFarland's words about Drury, now combined with his actions, which show just how highly MacFarland thinks of him.
Nashville Predators see Jack Drury as a legitimate piece of their core moving forward
MacFarland was at the podium on Thursday discussing his offseason plans, and much of what he discussed expectedly pertained to the two trades he has made. A GM obviously will only say good things about a player he goes out of his way to acquire, but his answers regarding Drury were well beyond generic.
MacFarland had some very glowing remarks, talking about Drury's defensive prowess and at one point, even calling him "elite" in that category. He even went as far as to call Drury a "culture changer," suggesting that he sees his impact going beyond the ice and into locker room leadership.
CMac said Ross Colton can play a bigger role here and has one year left on his contract.
— AnnK_ (@AnnK_MamaOnIce) June 25, 2026
On Jack Drury: "For me he's young. He's got a lot of hockey in front of him."
Called Drury a culture changer and said he is one of the best defensively in the league.
Say what you will about the contract itself, but you absolutely cannot blame MacFarland for putting his money where his mouth is when it comes to Drury. Similarly to the move to acquire Ross Colton, you almost have to trust that MacFarland knows something about Drury from their days in Colorado, which should encourage Predators fans, especially when it comes to the culture aspect.
All of this being said, it is completely fair to look at this extension and be concerned about how it will age. Drury is a great defensive forward, but he has only shown to have bottom six capabilities, and between the money, term, and no-trade clause, it just seems like a lot for a player in his status.
On the flip side, the NHL salary cap has been continually rising over the years, and contracts like this one are becoming more and more acceptable for players like Drury. He is also only 26 years old and in his prime years, and if he can continue to ascend as a player, which is likely, then this contract will not look so bad.
The biggest question here is how this move affects the Predators long-term future at the center position. Brady Martin is still waiting on his first real chance to play in Nashville, Yegor Surin literally has not gotten his chance yet, and Matthew Wood showed down the stretch last year that he could be part of the solution at center.
The Predators clearly brought in Drury to be a legitimate piece down the middle rather than just a stopgap, so he will have to fit into the long-term equation one way or another. But depth at center is a good problem to have, especially if one of the other guys flames out or has to move to the wing, so the team will not complain about being in this situation.
Add us as a preferred source on Google