Canucks Sign Defenseman Nycholat, Re-Sign Baumgartner

The Vancouver Canucks added a couple of depth defensemen to their blueline on Thursday evening by signing Lawrence Nycholat to a one-year contract and re-signing Nolan Baumgartner to a one-year contract. Terms of both their deals were not disclosed. The Canucks acquired Nycholat last fall in a trade with the Ottawa Senators for forward Ryan Shannon. Nycholat was claimed off waivers from the Canucks by the Calgary Flames in March, and then a day later, was traded to the Colorado Avalanche with defenseman Ryan Wilson in exchange for defenseman Jordan Leopold. In 19 games last season with the Canucks and Avalanche, Nycholat scored one assist. Baumgartner has not appeared in an NHL game since the 2006-07 season, but played in 72 games last season with the Canucks’ AHL affiliate in Manitoba, scoring 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points. In 131 career NHL games with the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, and Dallas Stars, he has six goals and 39 assists for 45 points. These are basically just depth signings for the Canucks, as Nycholat and Baumgartner are not likely to see much playing time in the NHL this season given the team’s depth on defense. Nycholat could be a sixth or seventh defenseman with the team this season, but Baumgartner will likely stay in the minors unless there is an injury.

Flames Acquire Defenseman Leopold from Avalanche

The Calgary Flames shored up their defense for the playoffs by acquiring defenseman Jordan Leopold from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Lawrence Nycholat, defensive prospect Ryan Wilson, and Montreal's second round pick (previously acquired) in the 2009 Entry Draft. Leopold had popped up in rumors the past few weeks and had been linked to the Flames or Boston Bruins. In 64 games this season, Leopold has six goals and 14 assists for 20 points. Nycholat has played in 14 games this season, scoring one assist and was claimed off waivers by the Flames just yesterday. Leopold will bring the Flames plenty of offensive depth and speed to their blueline, and with this being his second stint with the team, will fit in right away with his former teammates. Nycholat hasn't played much this season and will likely be a sixth defenseman for the Avalanche. Wilson should be a good fit for the Avalanche in the future, as he plenty of offensive potential on the blueline and plays with a lot of toughness.

Flames Claim Defenseman Nycholat Off Waivers from Canucks

The Calgary Flames announced on Tuesday that they have claimed defenseman Lawrence Nycholat off waivers from the Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks acquired Nycholat just prior to the 2008-09 season from the Ottawa Senators for forward Ryan Shannon. In 14 games so far this season, Nycholat has one assist. He is currently day-to-day with a groin injury. I'm sure this is a move Flames fans were not hoping for when it was rumored in recent weeks they were looking for a depth defenseman for the playoffs. More than likely, the asking price for any quality defenseman the Flames were interested in was high and they opted to go the route of a waiver claim, however one shouldn't rule out the Flames still making a trade by tomorrow if the price is right. Nycholat basically became expendable to the Canucks after they claimed Ossi Vaananen off waivers from the Flyers last week. Nycholat will likely fill the role of a sixth or seventh defenseman in Calgary.

Senators Acquire Shannon from Canucks

The Ottawa Senators gained some potential scoring depth to their line-up today as they have acquired RW Ryan Shannon from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for D Lawrence Nycholat. Shannon scored five goals and added eight assists for 13 points last season with the Canucks in 27 games. Nycholat, whom the Senators acquired from Washington in 2007, went scoreless in only three games with the Senators last season. He spent the rest of the season with Ottawa's AHL affiliate in Binghamton, where he scored 12 goals and added 37 assists for 49 points in 77 games.

The trade could be good for Ottawa down the road, as Shannon has the potential to be a scoring winger, something the Senators have been desperately seeking. While he has produced good numbers at the minor league level, Shannon still has to prove himself at the NHL level. Nycholat will likely play most of next season in the minors, as the Canucks appear set on their blueline. The downside for the Canucks is that they have traded a potential scoring forward, which is something the team is seeking right now.