Luke Kunin, San Jose Sharks (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Blue Jackets Land Luke Kunin From Sharks

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Christopher Babos | Last updated Mar 7, 2025 3:20 PM ET

The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired center Luke Kunin from the San Jose Sharks for a 2025 fourth-round pick.

The 2016 first-round pick joins the Eastern Conference for the first time in his eight-year NHL career. Columbus general manger Don Waddell has added some leadership to his group, as Kunin has carried the alternate captaincy for San Jose over the last two seasons. He brings a physical game to the Blue Jackets and 14 games of postseason experience that could benefit head coach Dean Evason’s lineup.

#CBJ parted with a fourth-round pick in 2025 to acquire Luke Kunin from San Jose. #TheFutureIsTeal.

Not sure yet if it's CBJ's own pick or the pick they acquired from St. Louis for Alexandre Texier.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) March 7, 2025

Sharks Center on the Move

Kunin, 27, finishes a three-year stint with the Sharks following an offseason trade from the Nashville Predators in 2022. The 6-foot center leaves the West Coast with 49 points over 171 games for a rebuilding Sharks team. In his eight-year career, Kunin has posted 142 points and 378 penalty minutes in 422 NHL games.

Luke Kunin, San Jose Sharks (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

The right-shooter joins a Blue Jackets club currently in possession of the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference standings with a 30-24-8 record and plenty of stiff competition close behind them. Kunin has experienced the NHL postseason three times in his career but not since 2022.

He played two seasons with Nashville, contributing 41 points over 120 regular-season games and three points in 10 postseason games between 2020 and 2022 before being acquired by the Sharks in the summer of 2022. The restricted free agent signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Sharks last offseason and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The Sharks have added some draft capital to their retool featuring young premier talents like forward Macklin Celebrini and goalie Yaroslav Askarov among others. Celebrini has been a bright spot for the Sharks and finds himself in the race for the Calder Trophy for top rookie in the NHL despite missing time early in the season. San Jose owns a pair of first-round picks in 2025 (their own and the Dallas Stars’) and has now added their third 2024 fourth-round pick.