Erik Gudbranson News
Gudbranson has been out of the lineup for the last two games but will presumably replace Josh Brown in the lineup on Thursday. Gudbranson, has one goal, two assists and a minus-13 rating in 34 games this season.
Gudbranson is entering the final-year of his deal that carries a $4.0M cap-hit. After nine years with the Panthers, Canucks, Penguins and Ducks, Gudbranson gets a chance to play in his hometown. Gudbranson has been much maligned in recent years but brings physicality to a Senators blueline that lost that edge when they let Mark Borowiecki walk in free agency.
Gudbranson has been out for the last eight games and the updated timetable suggests he'll miss at least seven more. Brendan Guhle has been bumped into a top-4 role.
Gudbranson played just 3:35 TOI in Toronto on Friday before leaving the game with an upper-body injury. Brendan Guhle and Josh Mahura were recalled from the AHL and one of them will replace him in the lineup today in Buffalo.
With Olli Maatta out long-term and both Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulin getting banged up on Saturday, the Penguins were in the market for a defenseman. The game may be a little fast for Gudbranson in 2019 but he brings a big, rugged style of play to a Penguins blueline that is really thin right now.
The Canucks announced that Gudbranson has been removed from the active roster and will undergoing surgery for a shoulder injury that he originally sustained on November 22nd. Gudbranson should be ready to go for 2018-19 training camp this fall.
The news of Gudbranson’s injury came shortly before Saturday’s game in Edmonton and it is serious enough to land him on IR for the time being. The good news for Canucks fans is that his roster spot will be taken by Bo Horvat, who was activated from IR in a corresponding move. Gudbranson will miss at least one week as a result of this move.
Gudbranson has missed the last 12 games with an upper-body injury but it looks like he will return tonight vs. the Canadiens. This is a boost to the Canucks blueline, but the veteran defenseman has yet to record a point in 21 games this season.