The Vancouver Canucks have traded forward Jared McCann and draft picks to the Florida Panthers for defenceman Erik Gudbranson and a fifth-round pick in this year’s NHL draft.
The Canucks, who have been looking to bolster their defensive core, acquired the 6’5″, 216-pound Gudbranson and a fifth-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft in exchange for McCann and second- and fourth-round picks in this year’s draft.
McCann, who turned 20 at the end of this month, is coming off a rookie campaign that saw him take on a bigger role with the team following injuries to several veterans. McCann had 18 points in 69 games in his rookie season and looked to be part of a young core of players that included forward Jake Virtanen, centre Bo Horvat and defenceman Ben Hutton.
Gudbranson spent all five of his NHL seasons with the Panthers, and signed a deal for the 2016-17 season this month. He had 11 goals and 32 assists in 309 games with Florida, helping the team reach the playoffs twice after being the No. 3 overall selection in the 2010 draft.
– With files from The Canadian Press and the Associated Press