The Columbus Blue Jackets acquired forward Luke Kunin from the San Jose Sharks on Friday, just hours before the NHL's trade deadline.
The news was first reported by Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic.
In exchange, the Blue Jackets are sending one of their two 2025 fourth-round picks to San Jose.
Kunin can play any forward position but primarily rotated between center and right wing this season. In this his third season with the Sharks, Kunin had 11 goals and seven assists for 18 points in 63 games and also saw significant minutes on the penalty kill.
He was averaging 15:15 per game with the Sharks and was 47% at the face-off dot.
LUKE KUNIN!
— NHL (@NHL) November 26, 2024
Now, that is a NICE goal. pic.twitter.com/qz7FOHaMXb
"Luke is a versatile forward who can play down the middle or on the wing, kills penalties and has tremendous character and work ethic,” said President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell.
“He has been a very consistent player throughout his career, and we think he’ll be a good addition to our club."
Kunin is in the midst of a one-year, $2.75 million dollar deal and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
The 27-year-old was held out of the Sharks’ lineup for Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche for "roster management purposes", indicating that San Jose was expecting to move him.
For his career, Kunin has 422 career games with the Sharks, Nashville Predators, and Minnesota Wild. His best season came in 2019-20 with the Wild, where he had 15 goals and 16 assists (31 points) in 63 games.
Current Columbus head coach Dean Evason was an assistant coach with the Wild that season.
Kunin was a first-round draft pick (15th overall) in 2016.
QUICK THOUGHTS:
It's safe to categorize this as a minor deal. While he was playing middle-six minutes with the Sharks, Kunin figures to settle into a bottom-six role with the Blue Jackets. A likely fourth line of Kunin, Sean Kuraly, and Thursday's waiver-wire acquisition Christian Fischer is a veteran trio that would play a very physical style of hockey. Also important: By all indications, Kunin is a good character guy to have in the locker room.
