OTTAWA, ONT – Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said Monday that fans should be optimistic for the team’s future after adding defensive prospect Erik Brannstrom from the Vegas Golden Knights.
Dorion told TSN Radio 1200 Ottawa after Monday’s deadline that the team has “never traded for a player” of Brannstrom’s calibre.
OTTAWA, ONT – The Ottawa Senators (@Senators) announced today that they have acquired one of the NHL’s top prospects in Erik Brannstrom, along with centre Oscar Lindberg and a second-round pick in the 2020 draft (previously acquired from the Dallas Stars) from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Mark Stone and minor league forward Tobias Lindberg.
Brannstrom will be assigned to the Senators’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Belleville Senators, while Lindberg is expected to join Ottawa for its game in Washington tomorrow.
“Erik Brannstrom is the top defence prospect in the game; simply a dynamic talent who will be a major component of our future,” said general manager Pierre Dorion. “He was undoubtedly the best prospect available at the trade deadline and in addition to his talent, he is a natural born leader. We could not be more excited to look at the future of having Erik join the other young prospects in the Senators organization. He’ll be a cornerstone player of our rebuild.”
CHICAGO, IL – The Vegas Golden Knights first-rounder is getting his first taste of North America and it’s going very well. Learn about him and more NHL hopefuls in our weekly wrap.
It’s a big news week for prospects, starting with the OHL’s London Knights getting a couple gifts from the NHL. D-man Evan Bouchard and speedy Alex Formenton were returned from Edmonton and Ottawa, respectively, just in time for the CHL-Russia series. Both will suit up for Team OHL and I expect both to be key members of Canada’s world junior squad in December. Speaking of international play, the World Under-17 Challenge is on now and there’s a ton of talent there, including top 2020 draft prospects Quinton Byfield, Alexander Holtz and Lucas Raymond.
Finally, we have AHL Rockford coach Jeremy Colliton taking over for Joel Quenneville as bench boss of the Chicago Blackhawks. Colliton is just 33 years old, but he has quickly developed a good reputation behind the bench. With all that out of the way, let’s get to some of the hot names in the prospect world right now.
Erik Brannstrom, D, Chicago Wolves (AHL): Perhaps the most promising aspect of Brannstrom’s North American debut is his consistency: the Vegas Golden Knights pick has nine points in nine games, but has only been held off the scoresheet twice this season. Brannstrom is an ultra-skilled puckmover and a great playmaker. NHL arrival: 2019-20
Josh Norris, C, Michigan Wolverines (BigTen): The Ottawa Senators need some good news right now, so let’s shed some spotlight on Norris, one of the assets they picked up from San Jose in the Erik Karlsson trade. The athletic, two-way center has yet to be kept off the scoresheet this season and is tied for the conference lead with 12 points in seven games. NHL arrival: 2020-21
Filip Sveningsson, LW, Oskarshamn (Swe.): Skilled and competitive, Sveningsson has really broken out in his first year with second-rung Oskarshamn. The Calgary Flames pick has 15 points in 15 Allsvenskan games to lead all junior-aged scorers. The seventh-rounder had a couple SHL tastes with HV71 in previous years. NHL arrival: 2022-23
Stelio Mattheos, C, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL): I really liked Mattheos in Traverse City, as he showed a ton of hustle along with the skill we knew he possessed and he has certainly kept the party going. The Carolina Hurricanes pick has 28 points through 17 games for the Wheaties, while also doing well in the faceoff circle. NHL arrival: 2020-21
Connor McMichael, C, London Knights (OHL): It will be interesting to see how McMichael will be affected by the return of Formenton, as the 2019 draft prospect had been off to a great start. Playing with Nathan Dunkley and Matvey Guskov, McMichael has 15 points through 16 games thanks to some wicked skill and a knack for being in the right place to score. NHL arrival: 2021-22
Marcus Kallionkieli, LW, Sioux City Musketeers (USHL): One of the top goal-scorers in the league with 10 tallies in 10 games, Kallionkieli is playing on a massive line with Bobby Brink (2019) and Martin Pospisil (CGY). The 2019 draft prospect has good size and speed, plus he can really rip the puck. NHL arrival: 2020-21
Zachary Emond, G, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL): The big netminder has really come into his own this season, rocking a .926 save percentage and 2.26 goals-against average for the first-place Huskies. Emond is a San Jose prospect and to date, he has gone a perfect 7-0 this season. NHL arrival: 2023-24
Cole Perfetti, C, Saginaw Spirit (OHL): I don’t want to dive into the under-17s too much this week, but Perfetti had a sweet four-point night for Canada White in a 5-4 win over Canada Black to kick off their tournament. Perfetti, who is up for the 2020 draft, is a quick and dynamic center who is also putting up numbers as an OHL rookie with the Spirit. NHL arrival: 2021-22
Jachym Kondelik, C, UConn Huskies (Hockey East): Kondelik’s tools are obvious: a 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame and some sweet mitts to go with it. The freshman pivot has 10 assists in eight games, making him the only top-five scorer in the conference who doesn’t play for UMass. Kondelik is a Nashville Predators pick. NHL arrival: 2022-23
David Hrenak, G, St. Cloud State Huskies (NCHC): A perfect 5-0 so far this season, Hrenak is boasting a .940 save percentage and conference-best 1.40 goals-against average for the Huskies. The Los Angeles Kings pick is now an NCAA sophomore and will be key for a Huskies team with national championship aspirations. NHL arrival: 2022-23
Experts from NHL Network unveiled their list of promising young players on the “NHL Tonight: Top 50 Prospects” program. Players age 25 and under who have played fewer than 25 NHL games (regular season/Stanley Cup Playoffs) were eligible.KO Sports, Inc. and AMA clients Erik Brannstrom (Las Vegas, 2017 1st Round Draft pick) and Cal Foote (Tampa Bay, 2017 1st Round Draft pick) were among the top 50 named.
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN –
One by one, the established NHL players have taken over the Swedish World Championship squad. Stars like Oliver Ekman Larsson, John Klingberg and Mika Zibanejad will participate in this weekend’s tune-up tournament Sweden Hockey Games in Södertälje and Stockholm, where the Swedes play the Czech Republic, Russia and Finland.
But with one week to go before the this year’s World Championships starts in Copenhagen and Herning in Denmark, there are still some fresh faces on the roster. Notably five players that grabbed a silver medal in this year’s World Junior Championships in Buffalo. Goalie Filip Gustavsson, defenseman Erik Brännström and forwards Elias Pettersson, Lias Andersson and Axel Jonsson Fjällbyare all competing for spots.
BUFFALO, NY – Filip Gustavsson, Erik Brannstrom, Tim Soderlund and Filip Larsson helped Team Sweden earn a Silver Medal at the 2018 World Junior Championship in Buffalo, NY.
Filip Gustavsson was named the Most Valuable Goaltender of the tournament after posting a 1.81 GAA and 0.924 Save Percentage.
LAS VEGAS – The Vegas Golden Knights have agreed to a three-year, entry-level deal with 15th overall pick Erik Brannstrom.
The 17-year-old defenceman from Eksjo, Sweden played for HV 71 in the Swedish Hockey League last season and won a championship with the club.
He contributed six points in 35 games for HV 71 in 2016-17. Brannstrom was also a member of Team Sweden at the 2016 World Under-18 Championship and won a silver medal.
LAS VEGAS — Erik Brannstrom of the Vegas Golden Knights is 5-foot-10, likes to join the rush and shoot the puck.
So why is the 17-year-old a defenseman and not a center?
“I like to play, and you play more as a ‘D’ than a forward,” Brannstrom said at Golden Knights development camp last month. “I like to play a lot and have the puck and take responsibility out there, so I think it fits me.”
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