Luke Kunin is heading to San Jose. Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Predators trade Luke Kunin to Sharks for John Leonard, 2023 third-round pick

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 7/8/22

During the conclusion of the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal on Friday, the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators pulled off a swap of young forwards.

The Predators traded center Luke Kunin to the Sharks in exchange for left-winger John Leonard and a 2023 third-round pick.

The #Preds have acquired forward John Leonard and San Jose's third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft from the San Jose Sharks for forward Luke Kunin.https://t.co/rxsvco3Be0
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) July 8, 2022

Kunin played all 82 regular-season games for the Predators last season. He finished with 22 points (9 goals, 22 assists), averaging 13:50 of ice-time.

The 24-year-old was the No. 15 pick in the first round of the 2016 NHL draft by the Minnesota Wild. After three seasons with the Wild, the Predators acquired Kunin in a trade for forward Nick Bonino and draft picks.

In 251 career NHL games, Kunin has 93 points (46 goals, 47 assists).

Last season, Leonard tallied 32 points (17 goals, 15 assists) in 45 games with the Sharks' AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda.

He played in 14 games for the Sharks, posting a goal and an assist.

Leonard was a sixth-round pick by the Sharks in 2018 and made his NHL debut in 2020-21.

The 23-year-old has 15 points (4 goals, 11 assists) in 58 career NHL games.

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