Avalanche trade Erik Brannstrom to Vancouver for Tucker Poolman, pick

Erik Brannstrom’s time with the Avalanche ended up being short-lived.

Colorado sent the defenseman to the Vancouver Canucks in a trade that brought back defenseman Tucker Poolman and a 2025 fourth-round pick, the team announced Sunday.

Poolman, 31, has played in 163 NHL games between stints with the Canucks and Winnipeg Jets, totaling 23 points (six goals, 17 assists). His career highs for goals (4), assists (12) and games played (57) in a single season came back in 2019-20 with the Jets.

Brannstrom signed a free-agent deal with the Avs in July. While the 25-year-old Swede showed flashes of solid play during camp, Sam Malinski outplayed him and Oliver Kylington for the sixth spot in the defensive corps, and the team claimed John Ludvig off waivers from Pittsburgh on Saturday in a move that added size and physical play to the back end.

The Avs also announced the signing of 20-year-old forward Nikita Prishchepov to a three-year, entry-level contract. The 6-foot-1, 194-pound Russian accumulated 67 points (22 goals, 45 assists) in 63 games for Victoriaville in the QMJHL last season. In 14 playoff games, he recorded 11 points (three goals, eight assists).

Colorado selected Prishchepov, who is set to report to the Colorado Eagles, in the seventh round of this summer’s NHL draft.