SAN JOSE — The San Jose Sharks are trading forward Luke Kunin to the Columbus Blue Jackets, according to Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic.

The return on the trade was not immediately known.

Kunin, 27, signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Sharks last offseason and is a pending unrestricted free agent. For roster management purposes, Kunin was held out of the Sharks’ lineup for Thursday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche, which San Jose lost 7-3. 

Kunin was in his third year with the Sharks and had 18 points in 63 games this season. As one of the Sharks’ top penalty killers, the blue-collar Kunin was mainly used as a middle six forward, averaging over 15 minutes in ice time per game this season.

Asked late last month about the possibility of being traded, Kunin, an alternate captain, said, “I’m focused on today. I’m focused on getting better in practice and having a good day here, and whatever tomorrow brings, it brings, and we’ll deal with it then.”

Columbus (30-24-8) is squarely in the mix for a playoff spot. Before Friday’s games, the Blue Jackets held the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with 68 points. The Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers were both one point back of Columbus and the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens were two points back.

The Sharks have already traded several prominent players in recent months, with general manager Mike Grier continuing to remake the franchise with an eye on the future.

In December, the Sharks traded goalie Mackenzie Blackwood to the Avalanche, and last month, center Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci were sent to the Dallas Stars.

Earlier this week, the Sharks traded goalie Vitek Vanecek and center Nico Sturm to the Florida Panthers in separate deals. Thursday night, the Sharks traded defenseman Jake Walman to the Edmonton Oilers for a conditional 2026 first-round draft pick and minor league forward Carl Berglund.

Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro has also been mentioned in trade rumors in recent weeks. It is believed, though, that the price tag on Ferraro is steep, as the 26-year-old defenseman is a valued leader in San Jose and has one more year left on his contract before he is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.

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