Rumor: Former 3rd overall pick to get traded

He's set to become UFA at the end of the season.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
Rumor: Former 3rd overall pick to get traded
Keystone Press

It looks like the Vancouver Canucks have no intention of signing 6-foot-5 defenseman Erik Gudbranson to a contract extension at the end of the season. According to TheFourthPeriod.com, Canucks general manager Jim Benning is taking calls on the former third overall pick.

However, it doesn't really seem to bother Gudbranson, who clearly just focuses on playing hockey. Here's what he told Sportsnet earlier this week:

Everybody else is more concerned about it than I am. I’d be lying to you if I told you it hasn’t crossed my mind. Everybody thinks about their future. Everybody does. To a certain extent in our business, it’s out of your hands (so) I try not to think about it."

The 25-year-old blueliner played 25 games this season with Vancouver. He registered two assists and 29 penalty minutes.

He is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2017-18 season, and carries a $3.5 million salary cap hit.