Former Waterloo Black Hawks forward Jack Drury was acquired by the Nashville Predators Wednesday as the result of a trade with the Colorado Avalanche, just days ahead of the 2026 National Hockey League Draft.
The swap involved a total of four players. Nashville also received forward Chase Bradley, plus a 2029 Draft choice. Colorado added forwards Zachary L'Heureux and Fedor Svechkov via the deal.
"Jack Drury is a hard-working, reliable, full-sheet of the ice center who can handle the tough assignments while being elite in the face-off circle," noted Predators President & General Manager Chris MacFarland in a statement. "His addition to our forward group bolsters our depth in the middle of the ice, and we're thrilled to have him on our roster."
Drury spent two seasons with Waterloo, opening his USHL career as a 16-year-old in 2016. During his draft-eligible 2017/18 campaign, Drury earned All-USHL Second Team recognition while producing 65 points (24 goals, 41 assists) and helping Waterloo to the Anderson Cup. His steady play made him one of the league's leading NHL prospects, and the Carolina Hurricanes selected him 42nd overall during the 2018 Draft.
From Waterloo, Drury spent two years at Harvard, then skated during the COVID-altered 2020/21 season as a professional in Sweden. He signed his initial NHL contract with Carolina in 2021, making his league debut on December 16th that winter. Drury was previously traded to Colorado in January 2025. In all, he has skated 268 NHL regular season contests with 30 goals and 52 assists. Drury has also dressed for 44 Stanley Cup Playoff games (including 13 for the Avalanche this spring), notching five goals and 10 assists.
Last season, Drury produced a career-best 10 regular season goals, while logging over 14 minutes of ice time and appearing in all 82 scheduled games for the first time in his career. He was also one of the NHL's most reliable faceoff men, winning over 58 percent of his draws.
The Black Hawks and Predators have been well-connected on the ice for a long time, although 2025/26 was a rare recent season when no Waterloo alumni appeared for Nashville. In 2024/25, Tom Novak and Vinnie Hinostroza each played for the Predators before finishing the season with other clubs.
Four other Waterloo alumni (Mark Eaton, Craig Smith, Rem Pitlick, and Zach Sanford) have also been on ice in previous seasons for Nashville. Together, they have accounted for over 1,100 games played, more than former Hawks have accumulated on any other NHL club. Back in 2009, Smith became the first Waterloo player drafted by Nashville.
The upcoming 2026 NHL Draft begins on Friday, with several current, former, or future Black Hawks considered contenders to be chosen.
