It was tough to give up the second-round pick in this draft. The 2008 second-round pick has excellent possession numbers. “I don’t know if we would have had that (McCann trade) in consideration, but Jared was a guy Florida really wanted in the deal,” added Benning. Gudbranson, a 6-foot-5, 216-pound right-shot defenceman who had nine points (2-7) in 64 games this season, will join the left-shot Ben Hutton in the second pairing. It will also spell the end to any consideration in extending the contract of pending unrestricted free agent Dan Hamhuis because the trade provides the Canucks with youth, size and potential that they desperately need.

Source: National Post May 26, 2016 09:18 UTC