Well, it appears that the franchise tag never came to fruition for Erik Brannstrom with the Ottawa Senators as he signs with the Colorado Avalanche. You may recall Branny was the exciting prospect coming back from the 2019 Mark Stone trade to the Vegas Golden Knights. However, Brannstrom has never been able to earn top-minute responsibility and thus, has not lived up to any potential hype. He now leaves the organization, signing with the Colorado Avalanche as a UFA after not receiving a qualifying offer from Ottawa.
Erik Brannstrom 1 x $900K Colorado
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 2, 2024
The Erik Brannstrom Project is Over in Ottawa, Fresh Start in the Rockies
A lot of the lack of hype with Erik Brannstrom’s career has been a result of his opportunity. He should by rights, be on the power play, but that was not an option in Ottawa. Therefore, his offensive production was never as high as it could have been. This season in less than 16 minutes per game, and no noteworthy power play time, he has 13 points. Furthermore, Brannstrom is known as a tough player, who will take the hit to make a play, and is also a very dynamic skater. He has 74 blocked shots on the year and had 103 last year in 74 games. Moreover, he does have a very strong CF % Rel of 10.8, which is boosted by his oSZ% of 54.9.
What Does This Mean for the Senators
The Senators have had a difficult 2023-24 season and as a result, were looking to change things up a little. Because of this, moving on from Brannstrom, who didn’t seem to be a fit on the Sens blueline, is the right decision. Moreover, the Senators and General Manager Steve Staios further freed up cap space after the Jacob Chychrun trade.
What Does This Mean for Branny’s New Club
Adding Erik Brannstrom with this contract he signs is a very nice depth piece to your defence. First of all, Brannstrom is a very strong skater and can play different roles. He has been on the PK for Ottawa. Conversely, as we mentioned, there is potential to work him on a second power play unit, though with the depth in Colorado this is no guarantee. Also, his ice time is not indicative of his capabilities and he could be somewhere closer to 18-19 minutes if needed. Another smart move at the deadline to boost his new club’s shot at Lord Stanley’s Holy Grail.
Main photo: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
