The Vancouver Canucks announce they have acquired left-handed defenseman Erik Brannstrom from the Colorado Avalanche. Heading back to Colorado will be defenseman Tucker Poolman with 20% of his salary retained by Vancouver and a fourth-round pick in 2025.
It’s a rare move for a recently signed unrestricted free agent to be moved before ever suiting up for the team. The Avalanche signed Brannstrom to a one-year, $900K contract after the young defenseman was non-tendered by the Ottawa Senators. He was expected to serve as a bottom-pairing puck mover for Colorado on a low-cost deal but the team has decided to go a different route.
He was originally drafted with the 15th overall pick of the 2017 NHL Draft by the Vegas Golden Knights but was shipped to Canada’s capital in the deal that sent Mark Stone to Nevada in 2019. He was always known as a fluid defenseman who could move the puck in transition and on the attack with 52 assists and 63 points in 90 AHL contests.
Unfortunately, Brannstrom has not been able to put it all together at the NHL level. He’s scored only seven goals and 69 points in 266 games for Ottawa — falling well short of expectations. He’s coming off the most offensively fruitful season of his career with three goals and 20 points in 76 games during the 2023-24 NHL season.
The Canucks placed Brannstrom on waivers relatively quickly after acquiring him meaning this trade was largely based around the salary cap. Vancouver will only be on the hook for $500K of Poolman’s contract for the 2024-25 NHL season.
The remaining $2MM on Poolman’s contract will comfortably sit in Colorado’s LTIR. He’s not expected to play this season after missing all of last year and playing only three games in the 2022-23 season. The Avalanche will continue to accrue salary cap space giving them more flexibility down the road when Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin can return.