Jack Drury came over to the Colorado Avalanche as part of the Mikko Rantanen trade to the Carolina Hurricanes. Martin Necas and two draft picks were also part of the three-team deal that involved the Chicago Blackhawks.

Drury did not stand out to many in the trade, to many others it was his last name. In the previous 39 games with the Hurricanes, Drury had had only three goals and six assists. His uncle is the current general manager of the New York Rangers and former Avalanche Chris Drury. When Jack came to the Avalanche, he did not hesitate to wear his uncle’s old number 18. Drury’s second game with the Avalanche was against the Rangers in New York. He would score a goal that bridged an 8,282 day gap between Drury goals in the franchise (May 25, 2002 vs Detroit Red Wings).

Jack Drury came onto Avalanche as a penalty kill specialist and that is exactly what he did for them. He often would play on the fourth or third line with limited minutes. But he understood his role. The team expected little as in production because he had never been a big producer. The most Drury had ever scored in the NHL was 27 points last season.

Drury will be back next season and could be the anchor of the penalty kill unit that needed so much work at the start of the season. Having a training camp with the Avalanche will help him adjust even more and start strongly this coming season. Right now, it is unsure who his line mates will be, but Logan O’Connor will probably be one of them.

Drury has one more year left in his contract that has a $1.725  salary cap hit. He will then be a restricted free agent that will also be arbitration eligible.