The NHL offseason has turned into a chessboard of contracts and trades, with three notable storylines emerging from the recent moves of forward Ilya Lyubushkin, veteran administrator Jeff Kealty, and forward Valeri Nichushkin.
Lyubushkin entered the 2025‑26 season under a three‑year, $9.75 million deal that made it the richest contract of his career, but the agreement quickly soured as his ice time dwindled and he found himself a healthy scratch on a regular basis.
The price of patience in Dallas
After a season in which he was repeatedly left out of the lineup, the 30‑year‑old was dealt to the Nashville Predators in a package that also involved prospect Mavrik Bourque, a move that he described as a chance to reclaim a more central role.
The trade underscored a broader theme of unmet expectations in Dallas, where the coaching staff’s tactical adjustments left the Russian defenseman searching for minutes that could showcase his defensive versatility.
Now in his final year of contract, Lyubushkin is focused on climbing the Predators’ depth chart, hoping that a more pronounced role will not only validate his investment but also position him for a potential extension or a fresh opportunity elsewhere.
A lateral move with big ambitions
Kealty, who spent a quarter‑century within the Predators organization, announced his transition to an assistant general manager role with the San Jose Sharks, a shift that many viewed as a strategic step rather than a step down.
Although he passed on a direct GM vacancy to join a front office led by Chris MacFarland, Kealty framed the decision as a calculated compromise that would let him influence roster construction while remaining close to the game’s competitive core.
A Russian crossroads
Nichushkin’s recent signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets marks the latest chapter in a career that has seen him oscillate between the NHL and the KHL, a trajectory that has been further complicated by a noticeable dip in his average ice time to 17:44 per game last season, the lowest since 2020‑21.
With four years remaining on his current contract, the forward’s expressed desire to return to Russia’s Traktor has turned into a long‑term proposition, meaning any move back to the KHL would likely not materialize before the contract’s expiration.