The Vancouver Canucks have signed defenseman Erik Gudbranson to a one-year contract worth $3.5 million, the team announced.
Gudbranson, who was a pending restricted free agent, endured an injury-riddled first season in Vancouver, playing just 30 games.
The Canucks dealt forward Jared McCann, a second-round pick, and a fourth-round pick to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Gudbranson and a fifth-rounder on May 25, 2016.
"Erik is a big, strong, physical defender who I know feels has a lot to prove and has worked diligently in his injury rehab," said the club's general manager Jim Benning. "He has leadership qualities that will be important for our young team and we are excited to see him healthy and back on the blue line next season."
There's no questioning Gudbranson's size and physicality. He is listed at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds and has 820 hits in 339 NHL games split between the Canucks and Panthers, who drafted him with the third overall pick back in 2010.
Given that Benning gave up a former first-round pick in McCann, plus the two other draft picks, he clearly views Gudbranson as part of the solution during Vancouver's rebuild.
Gudbranson, however, has failed to establish himself as a legitimate top-four defenseman so far in his career. He has posted a minus-63 rating and a 48.6 Corsi For percentage in five seasons.
However, he is still just 25, and defensemen usually take much longer to develop than forwards. He will get a chance to log big minutes on Vancouver's blue line come next season and prove his worth.
