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

[MS]

Autumn 1989, I remember The Hockey News had Berehowsky at #1 in its early rankings for the 1990 draft. A few weeks into the season, he blew out a knee really badly. Leafs took a gamble on him at #10 but he'd lost his mobility. Did pretty well to stick with it and carve out over 500 NHL games.

Before the injury (and another subsequent serious knee injury after being drafted), he was considered one of the best-skating D prospects in history. Speaks to how good he could have been that he played 500 NHL games with the mobility of Andrew Alberts.

 

[HairyKneel]

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

Jyrki Lumme, Dana Murzyn, Gerald Diduck and Bryan McCabe say hi.

 

[VanJack]

Have to confess I didn't see very many Sens games last season. Just how 'bad' was Brannstrom?

I guess the probable answer to that 'is not very good'. Because after all, the Sens failed to qualify him after making him the centerpiece of the trade of Mark Stone to the Knights. And then the Av's took stock during training camp after signing him to a one year deal at barely $150,000 over the league minimum.....and decided to move on.

Not much doubt about it, I guess. He's a full-on 'reclamation project'.

 

[VanJack]

Looking back at that 2017 NHL entry draft, the Vegas Golden Knights had three first round picks in the top-15.

They picked Cody Glass 6th overall; Nick Suzuki at 13th overall; and of course Brannstrom at 15th overall. Glass just never panned out. Suzuki was sacrificed to Montreal in the Max Pacioretty deal; and of Brannstom was peddled to Ottawa for Mark Stone.

I guess these trades eventually set the stage for Vegas to win a Cup. But three picks in the top-15 doesn't happen that often. But just goes to show, sometimes the value in top draft pick is who they may help you acquire down the road.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Looking back at that 2017 NHL entry draft, the Vegas Golden Knights had three first round picks in the top-15.

They picked Cody Glass 6th overall; Nick Suzuki at 13th overall; and of course Brannstrom at 15th overall. Glass just never panned out. Suzuki was sacrificed to Montreal in the Max Pacioretty deal; and of Brannstom was peddled to Ottawa for Mark Stone.

I guess these trades eventually set the stage for Vegas to win a Cup. But three picks in the top-15 doesn't happen that often. But just goes to show, sometimes the value in top draft pick is who they may help you acquire down the road.

the other one that comes to mind includes another new canuck: zboril, debrusk, senyshyn to close out the top 15 in 2015

 

[Emrasie]

Have to confess I didn't see very many Sens games last season. Just how 'bad' was Brannstrom?

I guess the probable answer to that 'is not very good'. Because after all, the Sens failed to qualify him after making him the centerpiece of the trade of Mark Stone to the Knights. And then the Av's took stock during training camp after signing him to a one year deal at barely $150,000 over the league minimum.....and decided to move on.

Not much doubt about it, I guess. He's a full-on 'reclamation project'.

He actually was good last year (a +5 in a bad team) and very helpful PP, PK, top 4, LD, RD, he can do it all but he is short and Ott doesn't want short D, they want physical ones (see Kleven).

 

[TruGr1t]

Honestly it’s starting to look like we may have effectively ditched the Poolman money for free. I’d maybe have traded a 4th straight up for Brannstrom considering how he looks like a fit on the blue line corp.

Basically got a #5D puck mover, which we needed.

 

[thecupismine]

Starting to look a bit like the Tanner Pearson deal from last year, where the cap dump somehow netted you a respectable player in the process.

 

[iceburg]

Very small sample size but I really like what Brannstrom has shown, especially for what he cost.

He definitely has NHL O-skill and appears to be an upgrade on any other NHL-ready offensive D-man not currently on the NHL roster. Makes me realize how wrong I was to keeping hoping Rathbone would make the leap.

His issues in the D-zone seem to me to be all about size. He has the mobility to get into the right place quickly but he gets overpowered. He'll need to learn how to play D using his stick, like Hughes, because I doubt he'll ever be able to match up physically with big forwards. If he does learn, he could have a long career here. If he could move to the right side that would be even better. Hard to have two small D-men on the same side. Teams would strategize with that in mind.

 

[valkynax]

Very small sample size but I really like what Brannstrom has shown, especially for what he cost.

He definitely has NHL O-skill and appears to be an upgrade on any other NHL-ready offensive D-man not currently on the NHL roster. Makes me realize how wrong I was to keeping hoping Rathbone would make the leap.

His issues in the D-zone seem to me to be all about size. He has the mobility to get into the right place quickly but he gets overpowered. He'll need to learn how to play D using his stick, like Hughes, because I doubt he'll ever be able to match up physically with big forwards. If he does learn, he could have a long career here. If he could move to the right side that would be even better. Hard to have two small D-men on the same side. Teams would strategize with that in mind.

Which is why Desharnais has been a decent partner with him.

Like I mentioned, if this guy can just anchor himself as 5/6D, this trade would end up being a COLOSSAL win for us.

 

[VanJack]

Brannstrom was one of the top d-prospects available in that 2017 draft, and teams obviously knew all about his size issues. I mean he's always been listed at 5'10" and 185. The figuring was that he could use his skating and finesse to overcome the size concerns.

But landing in Ottawa when he did was probably a disaster for his development. The version of the Sens under D.J. Smith and Pierre Dorion were a defensive nightmare. And because he was the key piece coming back for one of the most popular Senators, Mark Stone, it only made the hole deeper.

He may finally be in the exact role he should be in with Vancouver. He's playing limited minutes with a big, stay-at-home d-man who can absorb punishment and get him the puck with time and space.

It's all promising so far......and really cost the Canucks nothing but a fourth round draft pick which they'd already acquired for Podkolzin.

 

[MS]

Heh, there are going to be a lot of people here who are going to be absolutely irate when Brannstrom goes directly back to the press box or Abbotsford the instant Forbort is back.

 

[Vector]

Heh, there are going to be a lot of people here who are going to be absolutely irate when Brannstrom goes directly back to the press box or Abbotsford the instant Forbort is back.

After the last few games, I’d say that’s a pretty justifiable reaction. Still, that 3rd LD spot is one the team will have to upgrade at some point this season.

 

[Hit the post]

Looking back at that 2017 NHL entry draft, the Vegas Golden Knights had three first round picks in the top-15.

They picked Cody Glass 6th overall; Nick Suzuki at 13th overall; and of course Brannstrom at 15th overall. Glass just never panned out. Suzuki was sacrificed to Montreal in the Max Pacioretty deal; and of Brannstom was peddled to Ottawa for Mark Stone.

I guess these trades eventually set the stage for Vegas to win a Cup. But three picks in the top-15 doesn't happen that often. But just goes to show, sometimes the value in top draft pick is who they may help you acquire down the road.

Frankly I doubt anybody would give a f*ck if Jim Benning dealt the Canucks 1st round picks for the next 100 years and/or draft 10,000 Brendan Gaunce's if at the end of the day it brought us a Cup.

 

[David71]

branstrom has been pretty good the past 2 games. puck moving abilityy if he gets the greenlight from the coaching staff, he can take off. colorado had 2 puckmovers during their cup run. 1.makar 2.byram. he isnt gonna try to take on the bigger forwards because of his size, but he can use his head and smarts to defend properly.

 

[TruGr1t]

Heh, there are going to be a lot of people here who are going to be absolutely irate when Brannstrom goes directly back to the press box or Abbotsford the instant Forbort is back.

I highly doubt they put him back on waivers, but I could see some press box. He plays both sides so guess he could be in a three-way rotation with Forbort and Desharnais, though those two players should never be paired again, in my opinion, and probably shouldn’t even be in the line-up at the same time.

Desharnais has actually largely looked like crap except when paired with Brannstrom, outside of that one game with Wolanin.

 

[Kryten]

Heh, there are going to be a lot of people here who are going to be absolutely irate when Brannstrom goes directly back to the press box or Abbotsford the instant Forbort is back.

Im totally fine with doing game management and using Forbort and Brannstrom in games theyd be better used and to keep them fresh. Keep the wear down on Forbort and not grinding Brannstrom down. We saw what happened to Cole last year and I know youre a big proponent of limiting games for the long regular season

 

[Jay26]

I highly doubt they put him back on waivers, but I could see some press box. He plays both sides so guess he could be in a three-way rotation with Forbort and Desharnais, though those two players should never be paired again, in my opinion, and probably shouldn’t even be in the line-up at the same time.

Desharnais has actually largely looked like crap except when paired with Brannstrom, outside of that one game with Wolanin.

Brannstrom should be a regular going forward and Forbort and Desharnais the two guys rotating on and out. Brannstrom can play the left side with Desharnais in and the right side with Forbort in.

 

[credulous]

i don't see how brannstrom can be a regular (on the left side at least, maybe there's a way for him to be a regular on the right side?) when hughes doesn't kill penalties and soucy is only okay shorthanded. even if hughes was a great penalty killer you can't really have your top pp guy and top ev guy also be your top pk guy. they'd fall apart

 

[arttk]

i don't see how brannstrom can be a regular (on the left side at least, maybe there's a way for him to be a regular on the right side?) when hughes doesn't kill penalties and soucy is only okay shorthanded. even if hughes was a great penalty killer you can't really have your top pp guy and top ev guy also be your top pk guy. they'd fall apart

Might need to play 7D which should be fine.

 

[Vector]

i don't see how brannstrom can be a regular (on the left side at least, maybe there's a way for him to be a regular on the right side?) when hughes doesn't kill penalties and soucy is only okay shorthanded. even if hughes was a great penalty killer you can't really have your top pp guy and top ev guy also be your top pk guy. they'd fall apart

I was surprised to learn that Brannstrom has actually spent quite a bit of time killing penalties he last two seasons. No idea if he’s actually capable and the Senators bad PK would indicate he’s not particularly adept.

I don’t think it’s a huge deal right now, though. Against strong PPs or teams prone to drawing more penalties you could role with a Forbort-Brannstrom 3rd pair. They’ll eventually find an upgrade.

 

[MS]

After the last few games, I’d say that’s a pretty justifiable reaction. Still, that 3rd LD spot is one the team will have to upgrade at some point this season.

I'm not arguing that it shouldn't be the right decision to keep him in the lineup.

But people seem to be assuming he's 'in the regular lineup' not and I'll be stunned if that's the case. And as discussed, playing him creates significant PK issues.

 

[God]

I'm not arguing that it shouldn't be the right decision to keep him in the lineup.

But people seem to be assuming he's 'in the regular lineup' not and I'll be stunned if that's the case. And as discussed, playing him creates significant PK issues.

just don't take penalties. problem solved!

 

[TruGr1t]

I was surprised to learn that Brannstrom has actually spent quite a bit of time killing penalties he last two seasons. No idea if he’s actually capable and the Senators bad PK would indicate he’s not particularly adept.

I don’t think it’s a huge deal right now, though. Against strong PPs or teams prone to drawing more penalties you could role with a Forbort-Brannstrom 3rd pair. They’ll eventually find an upgrade.

Brannstrom was actually fourth, by a margin, in PK ice-time last game with just over a minute short-handed. Myers, Soucy and Hronek handled most of it. It looks like they do intend to use Brannstrom short-handed, though.

 

[bandwagonesque]

Jyrki Lumme, Dana Murzyn, Gerald Diduck and Bryan McCabe say hi.

McCabe and Lumme were 2nd and 3rd round picks.