Kunin traded to Blue Jackets by Sharks for draft pick

Luke Kunin was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets by the San Jose Sharks on Friday for a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

The pick originally belonged to the St. Louis Blues.

Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell praised Kunin’s versatility.

"Yeah. I hoped it was an option. It was definitely looking at the playoff teams and teams fighting for spots," Kunin said Saturday. "It was definitely one that I had circled and I was hoping for so when it happened, I was very excited and really just happy to join this group and help in any way that I can.

"We'll see how everything kind of shakes out but this is very exciting for me and just whatever I am asked to do I'm willing to do it."

Kunin signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Sharks on June 28, 2024, and can become an unrestricted free agent after the season. The 27-year-old has 18 points (11 goals, seven assists) in 63 games this season.

Kunin played for current Columbus coach Dean Evason with the Minnesota Wild in the 2019-20 season.

“Dean liked him as a player, a very trustworthy player,” Waddell said. “We put him in a spot, he would succeed. He’s a coach’s dream as far as he'll do what we asked him to do. Having that experience also goes a long way and when I talked to Luke, he was excited about being here.”

Selected by the Wild in the first round (No. 15) of the 2016 NHL Draft, Kunin has 142 points (73 goals, 69 assists) in 422 regular-season games for the Sharks, Nashville Predators and Wild, and five points (four goals, one assist) in 14 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The Blue Jackets (30-24-8) hold the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers.

They have not reached the postseason since 2019-20.

"I just try to come in every day, do my job, work hard, be a good teammate," Kunin said. "Wherever I'm playing in the lineup just do my job, not try to do anything more. Play fast, hard, simple game, physical, get to the net and try to create energy and hopefully get some good looks as well."

NHL.com independent correspondent Craig Merz contributed to this report