Confirmed with Link: VAN/COL Poolman (20% retained) + 2025 4th for Erik Brannstrom(Waived)

[VanJack]

I watched him in a couple Ottawa games last season, and he wasn't actually bad. I think he gets a lot of poop because of expectations for where he was drafted and who he was traded for. He's an NHLer. First injury we get on D, and he'll be the first one they call up.

I was kind of shocked to read that Brannstrom was actually a +5 in his last two years in Ottawa, on a team that was generally a defensive train-wreck. So he couldn't have been that bad in his own zone.

I think you're right. Being traded for Mark Stone landed him in a 'no-win' situation with the Sens and their fans.

 

[ManVanFan]

I was kind of shocked to read that Brannstrom was actually a +5 in his last two years in Ottawa, on a team that was generally a defensive train-wreck. So he couldn't have been that bad in his own zone.

I think you're right. Being traded for Mark Stone landed him in a 'no-win' situation with the Sens and their fans.

When I heard about the trade, I honestly thought they were going to send down Friedman or Juulsen and run 4 lefties, 4 righties.

He was 9th worst among defenders that played half a season or more in giveaways per 60.

 

[TruGr1t]

When I heard about the trade, I honestly thought they were going to send down Friedman or Juulsen and run 4 lefties, 4 righties.

He was 9th worst among defenders that played half a season or more in giveaways per 60.

Report following the trade was the Canucks looked at Brannstrom in free agency, but weren't interested in him. So I doubt they're that high on the player ... he's a big addition to the farm, though, and we'll see how things play out and if he gets any call-ups.

 

[ManVanFan]

Report following the trade was the Canucks looked at Brannstrom in free agency, but weren't interested in him. So I doubt they're that high on the player ... he's a big addition to the farm, though, and we'll see how things play out and if he gets any call-ups.

I'd think they would have to have a little interest to make the trade for him.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

Trade was purely a camp dump, however Brannstrom is better than Juulsen & probably better than Friedman as the #7 Dman.

 

[TruGr1t]

I'd think they would have to have a little interest to make the trade for him.

It was all about Poolman and trying to stay out of LTIR to max salary accrual, they probably would have taken a $900k bag of potatoes in the deal if the math worked.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

I was kind of shocked to read that Brannstrom was actually a +5 in his last two years in Ottawa, on a team that was generally a defensive train-wreck. So he couldn't have been that bad in his own zone.

I think you're right. Being traded for Mark Stone landed him in a 'no-win' situation with the Sens and their fans.

Nice upgrade on Juulsen who in his last 5 games was..

Opp	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	S	SHIFT	TOI
May 14, 24	@ EDM	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	20	14:25
Apr 23, 24	vs NSH	0	0	0	-1	4	0	0	0	22	11:24
Apr 18, 24	@ WPG	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	23	18:21
Mar 31, 24	vs ANA	0	0	0	-1	2	0	0	1	21	13:25
Mar 23, 24	vs CGY	0	0	0	-1

 

[RobertKron]

Brannstrom has played NHL games every year he's been in pro hockey, other than 18-19 when he was rookie with Vegas and played 41 games with their farm team in Chicago.

And in terms of games in the AHL, Juulsen has played 152 games in the minors since he broke in, while Brannstrom has played in just 82 AHL games.

So what's your point exactly?

That you thinking there was no way the Canucks staff could turn Juulsen, basically a player somewhat established as NHL depth-chart guy, into a depth defenseman is either just one of your weird made up algorithmic-esque have-to-fit-the-three-paragraph-template flourishes, or an indictment of your reasoning.

I’m going with the second one, since responding to that post with “uh well Brannstrom played X games!!! is similarly bizarre.

 

[krutovsdonut]

Trade was purely a camp dump, however Brannstrom is better than Juulsen & probably better than Friedman as the #7 Dman.

i think they look for a player back in cap dumps they can actually use. brannstrom is another stillman, who gave us 30 games and then fetched a prospect. brannstom may have a role. stay tuned.

 

[krutovsdonut]

so i have been pondering this further. i like this add a lot. brannstrom just got put in a perfect position to succeed. if he gets called up he pairs with myers or desharnais in a system that is used to working with an undersized left side guy. he also kills penalties so hughes doesn't have to if he is the call up, which gives him a leg up on friedman and wolanin at the nhl level. and he has zero expectations on him as a throw in as part of a cap dump. anything good from him will be gravy.

so he's a gamble but a pretty good one. he's also 25, healthy, talented and motivated by a one year deal to save his career. the kind of player who can clear waivers yet still potentially really help a good team.

so i like the gamble a lot.

 

[VanJack]

Report following the trade was the Canucks looked at Brannstrom in free agency, but weren't interested in him. So I doubt they're that high on the player ... he's a big addition to the farm, though, and we'll see how things play out and if he gets any call-ups.

Probably correct. The fact Brannstrom immediately went on waivers is pretty significant. Any team in the league could have claimed him, including the Av's if they'd really been interested in re-acquiring him. But clearly he was a 'cap dump' for them as well.

So likely the Canucks might have actually been hoping that he'd be claimed.....then their cap savings on the Poolman trade would have been close to $3m.

 

[Blue and Green]

Probably correct. The fact Brannstrom immediately went on waivers is pretty significant. Any team in the league could have claimed him, including the Av's if they'd really been interested in re-acquiring him. But clearly he was a 'cap dump' for them as well.

So likely the Canucks might have actually been hoping that he'd be claimed.....then their cap savings on the Poolman trade would have been close to $3m.

Brannstrom is a salary and contract-slot dump, not a cap dump. His cap hit is entirely buried in the minors and is only 125k above the league minimum if he gets called up.

 

[TruGr1t]

Probably correct. The fact Brannstrom immediately went on waivers is pretty significant. Any team in the league could have claimed him, including the Av's if they'd really been interested in re-acquiring him. But clearly he was a 'cap dump' for them as well.

So likely the Canucks might have actually been hoping that he'd be claimed.....then their cap savings on the Poolman trade would have been close to $3m.

I will say, I'd guess the Canucks interest in Brannstrom would have been significantly higher if they knew they could get him to Abbotsford on a $900k contract. Certainly a nice asset to have in the AHL.

 

[dwarf]

Smart trade no matter how you look at it. I hate losing picks, but anything to get Poolman off the roster is a win. Brannstrom in a Swede heavy environment, could rejuvenate his career, so who knows.

 

[Hit the post]

so i have been pondering this further. i like this add a lot. brannstrom just got put in a perfect position to succeed. if he gets called up he pairs with myers or desharnais in a system that is used to working with an undersized left side guy. he also kills penalties so hughes doesn't have to if he is the call up, which gives him a leg up on friedman and wolanin at the nhl level. and he has zero expectations on him as a throw in as part of a cap dump. anything good from him will be gravy.

so he's a gamble but a pretty good one. he's also 25, healthy, talented and motivated by a one year deal to save his career. the kind of player who can clear waivers yet still potentially really help a good team.

so i like the gamble a lot.

Low risk as well (short duration on contract at a low cap hit). Need some competent personnel on the farm so he can provide for some depth in Abby.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

brannstrom seems destined to join the long list of former high pick dmen who passed through vancouver to no real (positive) impact

chris joseph, drake berehowsky, nolan baumgartner, steve mccarthy, ryan parent, cam barker, luca sbisa, derrick pouliot, erik gudbranson

but hey at least jovo/lachance was a pretty good pair for us

 

[arttk]

brannstrom seems destined to join the long list of former high pick dmen who passed through vancouver to no real (positive) impact

chris joseph, drake berehowsky, nolan baumgartner, steve mccarthy, ryan parent, cam barker, luca sbisa, derrick pouliot, erik gudbranson

but hey at least jovo/lachance was a pretty good pair for us

He’s like a cap dump…

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

He’s like a cap dump…

well a contract slot dump but yeah

to my point, so was ryan parent but ppl talked themselves into being excited about him as a reclamation project because of his draft pedigree and once being traded for a star

just like some folks are doing in this thread

 

[Peen]

thought allvin's commentary of him post-trade was hilarious

wonder if brannstrom takes it as a wake up call and really buys in. good first test for manny & whoever the d coach is in abbotsford with all of these left shot guys with some level of upside or pedigree

 

[RobertKron]

brannstrom seems destined to join the long list of former high pick dmen who passed through vancouver to no real (positive) impact

chris joseph, drake berehowsky, nolan baumgartner, steve mccarthy, ryan parent, cam barker, luca sbisa, derrick pouliot, erik gudbranson

but hey at least jovo/lachance was a pretty good pair for us

Baumgartner did have that one season that landed him that contract with the Flyers.

 

[Hammman]

Baumgartner did have that one season that landed him that contract with the Flyers.

He was also a pretty solid presence on some strong Moose teams.

 

[Jyrki21]

brannstrom seems destined to join the long list of former high pick dmen who passed through vancouver to no real (positive) impact

chris joseph, drake berehowsky, nolan baumgartner, steve mccarthy, ryan parent, cam barker, luca sbisa, derrick pouliot, erik gudbranson

Great list... I always forget Chris Joseph had that brief spell (or actually two of them) in Vancouver. Noah Juulsen seems to have salvaged himself from appearing there, I guess.

 

[VanJack]

Great list... I always forget Chris Joseph had that brief spell (or actually two of them) in Vancouver. Noah Juulsen seems to have salvaged himself from appearing there, I guess.

Back in those days, the Canucks couldn't help themselves. They couldn't actually draft any decent defensemen, so they focused on acquiring almost every other NHL team's failed first rounders.

The results were pretty predictable. If these guys failed to really develop on the teams that drafted them, they were hardly going to have some sort of career breakthrough with the Canucks.

But the Brannstrom trade is different. Yes, it cost them a fourth rounder. Bur the big 'win' was dumping Poolman's contract and actually saving close to $2m in cap space. And I'm sure they wouldn't be 'broken up' if Brannstrom never plays another NHL game.

 

[MS]

Great list... I always forget Chris Joseph had that brief spell (or actually two of them) in Vancouver. Noah Juulsen seems to have salvaged himself from appearing there, I guess.

I’ll never forget Joseph. Probably the dumbest all tools/no toolbox defender I’ve ever seen play for the Canucks.

Big, physical, good skater, cannon of a shot, decent puck skills …. and then you’d watch him play a 2-on-2 or try to rotate his coverage off a cycle and I think kids in pee wee hockey could do it better. Just totally confused about his basic defensive responsibilities.

Managed to get a 500-game NHL career out of ‘maybe I’ll be the coach that can fix him!’