23-year-old lefty defenceman Nick Cicek heads to the Vancouver Canucks organization along with a 2024 6th-round NHL Draft pick in exchange for right-shot forward Jack Studnicka, whose usefulness to the club had run its course.
With the trickle down effect from the acquisition of fellow righty Sam Lafferty from the Toronto Maple Leafs in October and the emergence of other depth forwards, Studnicka was expendable after most recently being found on the Canucks AHL roster in Abbotsford.
The 24-year-old former 2nd-round draft pick of the Boston Bruins played 47 games last season for the Canucks, posting four goals and four assists, after being acquired October 27th, 2022. He had one goal in five games with the big club this season.
Studnicka has the distinction of once being indirectly traded for the rights to an NHL general manager. In 2015 the Edmonton Oilers traded his 2017 draft position to the Bruins for the opportunity to sign GM Peter Chiarelli.
New Canucks D-Man
Meanwhile, the undrafted Cicek has 16 games of NHL experience with San Jose last season, a stint that saw him tally four assists.
In 108 career AHL games with the San Jose Barracuda, Cicek has 31 points, seven of them goals, and 121 penalty minutes.
Cicek plays on a two-way contract, getting paid $835,000 if at the NHL level and $80,000 in the minors.
Studnicka’s NHL deal carries a cap hit of $762,500.
With the transaction the Canucks now have two picks in the 4th and 6th rounds next summer. They have single selections in the 1st, 3rd, and 7th rounds, with none in the 2nd or 5th.
The team’s statement came with standard comments.
“We would like to thank Jack for his time with the Vancouver Canucks,” GM Patrik Allvin said in the announcement. “We wish him the best moving forward and are pleased to add another depth defenceman for Abbotsford to work with and develop.”
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