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Columbus Blue Jackets Acquire Thomas Vanek From Vancouver Canucks

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have continued to add, acquiring Thomas Vanek from the Vancouver Canucks according to Bob McKenzie of TSN. Vancouver will get Tyler Motte and Jussi Jokinen in return.

Vanek is the definition of a trade deadline rental, and will play for his eighth club in Columbus. Last season he brought the Detroit Red Wings a third-round pick, but Vancouver decided to target a young player instead.

In Motte, the Canucks receive a 22-year old center that was only acquired by Columbus last summer. Part of the Brandon Saad–Artemi Panarin trade, he looked like a player who could compete for a fourth-line spot and perhaps move up the lineup if his offensive potential started to show. The former Michigan Wolverine scored 32 goals in 38 games in his final NCAA season, but has just 12 points in 64 career NHL games.

Jokinen will be joining his fourth team of the season, and is just a body to even out some of the salary in the deal. After being bought out by the Florida Panthers last offseason, he signed a $1.1MM deal with Edmonton before being flipped for Mike Cammalleri early in the year. He was then claimed off waivers by the Blue Jackets, and now flipped again to Vancouver. The veteran forward can play multiple positions, but has just seven points on the season and looks close to being out of the league entirely.

Vanek looks like a great fit in Columbus, who have needed some help on the powerplay all season. After finding chemistry with Brock Boeser in Vancouver this year, Vanek has 41 points in 61 games and can still be a healthy offensive contributor in a sheltered role. The 34-year old was once one of the league’s very best goal scoring threats, but will only be needed to be a secondary option on a deep Blue Jackets roster.

Canucks Acquire Brendan Leipsic From Golden Knights

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The Canucks and Golden Knights have agreed on a trade to send winger Brendan Leipsic to Vancouver in exchange for prospect defenseman Philip Holm, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports (Twitter link).

Leipsic was selected from Toronto in last summer’s Expansion Draft.  He has been a depth player for Vegas this season, suiting up in 44 games while tallying two goals and 11 assists.  It’s likely that Vancouver is looking to take a longer look at him to see if the 23-year-old is worth keeping around long-term.  He carries a league-minimum $650K cap hit and is signed through the 2018-19 season.  His contract is a two-way pact this year and then becomes a one-way contract next season.  Canucks head coach Travis Green is certainly familiar with what Leipsic brings to the table as the winger played for him at the WHL level.

Holm joined Vancouver last offseason after spending the previous three years in the SHL.  However, he has played just once with Vancouver this year and instead has spent the majority of his campaign with their AHL affiliate in Utica.  He has been quite productive at the AHL level, recording 11 goals and 18 assists in 42 games.  The 26-year-old is making $925K this season and will be a restricted free agent in July.

Thomas Vanek Scratched In Advance Of Trade Deadline

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As expected, a pair of veteran wingers have been made healthy scratches tonight in order to ensure they will be healthy to be dealt.  Sportsnet’s Dan Murphy was first to report (via Twitter) that Canucks winger Thomas Vanek is being held out of the lineup although News 1130’s Rick Dhaliwal adds (Twitter link) that this merely precautionary and that this should be interpreted that a trade is getting closer to being worked out.  Meanwhile, Oilers winger Patrick Maroon has also been held out of their lineup tonight against Anaheim.  Interest in him has picked up considerably as the day has progressed and he is expected to be dealt before the deadline.

Brassard Trade Notes: Vegas, Reaves, Lindberg, Pouliot, Cole

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After a wild night in which the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, and Vegas Golden Knights put together one of more complex trades in recent memory (here’s a brief summary for those still confused), there are still some questions to be answered. Sportsnet’s John Shannon both asked and answered one of the most prevalent questions: why would the Knights get involved? Rather than simply trading cap space for some minor assets, GM George McPhee’s motivation was a little more devious. Shannon states that McPhee knew Brassard was headed out West, likely to the Winnipeg Jets, unless he could intervene and help him stay in the East. So, not only did Vegas get a player and pick, but they also weakened their playoff competition.

  • That player, Ryan Reaves, was likely no coincidence either. The 31-year-old enforcer has hardly inspired any team to pursue him with his production in 2017-18. However, as Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston points out, Reaves played his junior hockey with the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings. His coach while he was there was none other than Kelly McCrimmon, the Assistant GM of the Golden Knights. Some have speculated that the Knights may try to flip Reaves, but given his connection to one of the men in charge, that may not happen.
  • The 2018 fourth-round pick bound for Vegas also has a bit more value than initially suspected. The Athletic’s Seth Rorabaugh clarifies that the pick sent by Pittsburgh was the one acquired from the Vancouver Canucks for Derrick Pouliot last summer. Thus, the Knights will be picking at the top of the fourth round rather than the bottom.
  • What about the prospect heading to Pittsburgh from Vegas? Tobias Lindberg is just 22 and has just six games on NHL experience, but is already used to being in the middle of major trades. Rorabaugh recalls that Lindberg, an Ottawa fourth-rounder in 2013, was shipped to Toronto in the massive Dion Phaneuf trade. He then ended up in Las Vegas when the Leafs acquired Calvin Pickard earlier this year for Lindberg and a sixth-round pick.
  • Finally, the Ottawa Senators are surely happy to have another first-round pick and one of the top goalie prospects in the world now in their grasp, but the stock-up of picks and prospects from this trade won’t end there. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Sens have been receiving calls all day about Ian Cole, the other piece added from Pittsburgh. Ottawa will surely flip the solid rearguard by Monday’s deadline.

Ottawa Senators Trade Derick Brassard To Pittsburgh Penguins

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8:35pm: The Pittsburgh Penguins’ release fills in the remaining blanks as to the Vegas Golden Knights’ role in the deal. The Pens confirmed that they acquired Brassard, Dunn, and Ottawa’s 2018 third-rounder, but have also added forward prospect Tobias Lindberg from the Golden Knights. In exchange, Vegas received Reaves and the Penguins’ 2018 fourth-round pick, as previously confirmed, and the Knights retained 40% of Brassard’s salary, or $2MM against the cap this season and next . So, in exchange for the added cap space this year and Lindberg, a 22-year-old winger being traded for the third time in his pro career, the Penguins gave Vegas an NHL-caliber checking forward and a draft pick. It is highly speculated that Ottawa, who retained no salary in the deal, will quickly flip Cole to a contender, while it remains possible that Vegas could flip Reaves. The Knights could also hold on to the veteran energy-liner with Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and William Carrier currently sidelined .

8:20pm: The Ottawa Senators have now officially announced the trade, with even more twists. The Senators have indeed acquired Cole, Gustavsson, and the Penguins 2018 first-round pick in the trade. They will also receive a 2019 third-round pick from Pittsburgh. Additionally, Brassard is joined by young forward Vincent Dunn and a 2018 third-round pick on their way to the Penguins. Essentially, the teams added a swap of third-rounders into the mix, as well as Dunn, a 22-year-old ECHL veteran.

8:00pm: The trade has been re-worked and approved by the league, with some interesting twists. TSN’s Bob McKenzie was the first to report that the deal had been completed, with Brassard headed to Pittsburgh. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman then added that Cole would still be going to Ottawa, rather than Vegas, as some had speculated. However, Vegas will be getting a return in the form of Penguins enforcer Ryan Reaves, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun announced. The Penguins acquired Reaves from the St. Louis Blues for a first-round pick and Oskar Sundqvist in last June’s draft, but have moved on from the energy line forward less than a year later. McKenzie adds that Pittsburgh also sent a fourth-round pick to the Golden Knights. More details about the three-team deal are still to come.

4:58pm: Hold everything, as Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet is now reporting that the deal has been rejected by the NHL unless it is restructured. The league would not allow Brassard to pass through Vegas simply for the purpose of retaining salary. This decision is understandable, as it would set a dangerous precedent for further cap space exploitation if allowed. Dreger and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet both report that the three teams are working to come up with something that will be approved.

4:05pm: Derick Brassard appears to be on his way to Pittsburgh, as Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports that the Ottawa Senators are closing in on a deal that would send the veteran center to the Penguins. Darren Dreger of TSN reports that the Senators will receive a 2018 first-round pick, goaltender Filip Gustavsson, and defenseman Ian Cole. There also is expected to be some level of salary retention of Brassard’s contract, and could be another part of the move still to come. Bob McKenzie of TSN tweets that the deal is very complicated, and likely includes the Vegas Golden Knights.

Brassard was arguably the top center option available on the trade market this weekend, and had as many as seven teams interested in acquiring his services. Pittsburgh finally won the bidding, and will part with a solid package of assets.

<a rel=The Senators were insisting on a first-round pick in any Brassard deal, but they’ll get one that falls near the end of the round. The Penguins are pushing the Washington Capitals for first place in the Metropolitan Division, and are doing everything in their power to try and three-peat as Stanley Cup Champions.

Gustavsson may be the jewel of the package, as he has shown really high-end potential since being selected 55th-overall in 2016. Playing in the SHL, the 19-year old goaltender has a .917 save percentage and excelled at the World Juniors winning a silver medal and being named the tournament’s best goaltender. Still, Gustavsson is very young and could still be years away from making a real impact at the NHL level.

Cole will likely be flipped in the next few days, as he’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer. The 28-year old defenseman was included to even out salaries, but probably won’t have a very long Senators career unless the team approaches him with an extension offer. Cole was rumored to be on the block for almost the entire season, and could net the Senators another draft pick or prospect for their rebuild.

In adding Brassard, the Penguins once again become a favorite in the Eastern Conference. Though he isn’t expected to carry the load offensively, he now gives them their familiar three-line attack with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel all able to drive a group. Almost no one in the NHL can match that kind of depth down the middle, especially if Brassard can find another gear playing against weaker competition. Already with 18 goals and 38 points through 58 games, he’ll give them another option on the powerplay as well.

Brassard actually has 78 games of playoff experience, mostly going back to his days with the New York Rangers. In those appearances he’s recorded 22 goals and 55 points, an impressive total that Penguins GM Jim Rutherford no doubt took into account. He’s also been extremely durable the last few seasons, playing in at least 80 games for four straight years coming into 2017-18.

In all, the trade seems like a good fit for both clubs, even if it is a bit surprising. Ottawa was playing Pittsburgh in the seventh game of the Conference Finals less than a year ago, and is now selling off assets in order to reload on talent. This could be just the first of several moves this weekend.

– Zach Leach contributed to this post.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Vanek, Tavares, Matthews

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Thomas Vanek is probably the most likely player to be traded from the Vancouver Canucks in the next few days, and yet there remains a chance he could re-sign with the team instead. Speaking with Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet, Vanek explained he’d love to play another year with Daniel and Henrik Sedin, but they haven’t given him an answer about their future yet.

Obviously, there is also the option of trading him this weekend only to re-sign him in the summer when he becomes a free agent. Vancouver already brought back Erik Gudbranson, their other top rental option, and don’t seem poised to really be big sellers at the deadline. Vanek brought in a third-round pick last season for the Detroit Red Wings, and could likely fetch a similar price if Vancouver decides to shop him around.

  • After Josh Bailey was re-signed to a six-year contract this morning, many pointed out how it might help the New York Islanders re-sign his linemate John Tavares. The Islanders were making it clear that they wanted to keep this group together and were committed to winning. Not so fast, says John Shannon of Sportsnet, who tweets that the signing will “not have any effect” on the Tavares negotiations, and that the captain will still wait until after the season is over to make a decision.
  • Auston Matthews suffered damage to his shoulder last night, and will be out for “a bit” according to head coach Mike Babcock. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet details how the Toronto Maple Leafs plan on dealing with the loss of their superstar center, and notes that the team will not change their approach to the trade deadline.

Alex Edler Not Willing To Waive No-Trade Clause

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  • Canucks defenseman Alex Edler does not appear to be willing to waive his no-trade clause if Vancouver was to reach an agreement on a trade involving him, reports Sportsnet’s Dan Murphy (Twitter link). With Vancouver sitting well out of the playoff picture and many contending teams coveting defensemen, the 31-year-old will undoubtedly be of interest to many teams around the league.  However, it appears he’ll be sticking around into the offseason at the very least.

Thomas Vanek Trade Not Guaranteed Before Deadline

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Though the Vancouver Canucks are heading towards something of a rebuild, they decided to hold onto an asset when signing Erik Gudbranson to a three-year extension. Gudbranson was a pending unrestricted free agent that likely could have brought back at least a draft pick at the trade deadline, but was deemed too important to lose. A similar situation could be brewing around Thomas Vanek, who is also a pending UFA. Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 has been told that the Canucks will only move the veteran forward in the right deal, and the chances of a trade could be as low as “50-50”.

GM Jim Benning was clear in his press conference following his own extension that the team would be signing veterans to help develop the younger players in the organization, and Vanek fits the bill if they decide to keep him around. The 34-year old winger has found some good chemistry with Brock Boeser this season, and actually ranks second on the team in scoring. Any extension would again rob the Canucks of future assets, but Vanek’s contributions could outweigh the mid-round pick he would likely bring back (based on last season’s return).

Vanek is earning just $2MM this season and could be acquired by nearly any contender looking to give their powerplay a boost. He was tenuously linked to the Anaheim Ducks, but several teams could benefit from his offensive pedigree.

Vancouver Canucks Sign Erik Gudbranson To Three-Year Extension

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After early reports that a deal was close, the Vancouver Canucks officially announced that Erik Gudbranson has signed a three-year extension worth a total of $12MM. A cap hit of $4.0MM will be a raise over his current $3.5MM, and delays his unrestricted free agency until after the 2020-21 season. The contract comes without any trade protection, and the salary is broken down as follows:

  • 2018-19: $4.4MM
  • 2019-20: $4.6MM
  • 2020-21: $3.0MM

Erik GudbransonGudbranson is a polarizing figure when it comes to scouting the NHL these days. While more and more small skilled defensemen are entering the league, he remains a throwback to a slower, more physical style. The third-overall pick from 2010, Gudbranson has just 53 points in 380 career games but is a big body that can be used on the penalty kill and hold his own in the defensive zone. Analytical critics may point to his bad (and declining) possession metrics as a point against him, but obviously the Canucks felt he was important enough to lock up.

It’s important to note that Gudbranson was set to be one of the youngest defensemen on the free agent market this summer, and likely would have gotten a similar deal from someone else. His draft pedigree and experience are still seen as positives for teams looking to get a bit stronger on the blue line, and there was interest in him from around the league as the deadline approached.

Unfortunately though, this takes away a potential trade asset for the Canucks in the next week. Vancouver is in the beginning stages of something of a rebuild, with Henrik and Daniel Sedin getting closer to retirement and a new wave of young talent coming through the ranks. Gudbranson could have been used to supplement that young talent with even more draft picks or prospects, though GM Jim Benning was clear that he would surround those players with experience to help them develop.

There is also an argument to be made that Gudbranson still has another level that he’s been kept from due to injury. He’s never been able to complete a full season without facing some injury, and played just 30 games in 2016-17. There are plenty of examples of defensemen taking a step forward in their mid to late twenties, and Gudbranson has only just turned 26. The deal is far from cost prohibitive for the Canucks, especially as it is front loaded and contains zero trade protection.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Erik Gudbranson “Getting Closer” To Extension With Canucks

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Tuesday: Bob McKenzie of TSN tweets that the two sides are on track to complete the deal this week, explaining it will be a multi-year contract. McKenzie speculates that the deal will be around three years and $4MM per season, though the exact numbers are still being hammered out.

Monday: Though there has been trade speculation swirling around Vancouver Canucks defenseman Erik Gudbranson for much of the season, GM Jim Benning has also been clear that he would explore an extension with the pending unrestricted free agent. Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 now reports that those negotiations are going well, stating that they are “getting closer” to signing an extension.

The 26-year old is scheduled to be one of the youngest players on the open market this summer, but has several questions surrounding his game moving forward. While the league continues to get smaller, faster and more skilled, Gudbranson remains as a throwback of sorts to a more physical brand of hockey. The defensive defenseman has just 53 points in 380 career NHL games, but is a force on the ice and is a key penalty killer for the Canucks.

With rumors surrounding Chris Tanev’s future in Vancouver, the Canucks could be looking for Gudbranson to stay on as that defensive presence. Even if Tanev isn’t traded, the team is clearly happy with the contribution Gudbranson can make, and don’t want to just give him away at the deadline.

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