
The Trade:
On trade deadline day, February 25th, 2019, Mark Stone was sent to Vegas. While Pierre Dorion tended to think more about quantity over quality, he went for quality in the blockbuster trade. Ottawa was able to get one of the best defensive prospects in the league in Erik Brannstrom, who as a 19-year old was enjoying a great year in Chicago (AHL) with 7 goals and 28 points in 41 games.
Trading away a player of Mark Stone’s caliber will always be met with criticism, while Ottawa did get a top prospect, it would of been nice to grab a first round pick, but as the saying goes “beggars can’t be choosers”. Stone proceeded to sign an 8 year $9.5 million per season contract with Vegas, the reality of Stone not being a rental hurt the value of the trade.
Ottawa also acquired Oscar Lindberg who was just a filler in the trade and was done in Ottawa following the season.
Stone has went on to be arguably Vegas’ best player to nobodys surprise, that was a given at the time Ottawa traded him, it’s all about what the Senators got in return.
Brannstrom started the 2019-20 season making the big club out of camp, and would play 31 games total on the season for Ottawa, where he didn’t quite look ready, only adding 4 assists. Brannstrom was stellar in the AHL though, playing 27 games with 3 goals and 20 assists, the AHL stint was good for the young swede to regain his confidence in the offensive zone.
Brannstrom has come with mixed reviews during his time in Ottawa, but at just 20 years old he is expected to form a formidable duo with Thomas Chabot on the blue line for the future.
This trade is tipped a little bit toward Vegas because of how great Stone has been, with Brannstrom young and developing there’s no way to tell who will come out better on the other side until it’s all said and done.