Canucks Acquire Sopel for Pair of Picks

[Thrillhouse]

Vancouver, B.C. - Vancouver Canucks Senior Vice-President and General Manager Dave Nonis announced today that defenceman Brent Sopel has been acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a second round pick in 2007 or 2008 and a fourth round pick in 2008.

Sopel, 30, has played 44 games with the Los Angeles Kings this season recording 23 points (4-19-23) and 14 penalty minutes. Over a nine season NHL career, Sopel has played 414 games recording 176 points (38-138-176) and 213 penalty minutes. The veteran defenceman returns to the Vancouver Canucks where he played six seasons from 1998-99 to 2003-04. During his time with the Canucks, Sopel played 302 games and notched 125 points (32-93-125) and 129 penalty minutes.

Sopel has made 31 postseason appearances all while playing as a Vancouver Canuck. The blueliner has 11 points (2-9-11) and eight penalty minutes in 31 playoff games.

The 6-foot-2, 205 pound native of Calgary, Alberta was originally selected by Vancouver in the 6th round, 144th overall in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.

The 5’9”, 190 lbs. native of Kirkland, QC, was selected 208th overall by the Canucks in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

[JKidd]

Good move by the Nuckers, IMO. Sopel can provide a bit more punch to the blue line, and has veteran leadership, that collapsed them last year.

Talk about a sellers market though... 2nd AND 4th rounder!? They're throwing draft picks around like they dont need'em.

[The Fridge]

good move
i liked him when he was here good to see him back i havnt heard much of him in LA hows his season been?

[Isles4life]

I haven't seen much of him this season, but he sure sucked when he was an Islander. That's a good return on him for LA. I guess it must be a really weak draft...

[canuckfan]

LOL! The greasy skid is coming back to Vancouver, with the perpetual mouth guard hanging out of his mouth too, I hope! Hilarious...I always enjoyed watching Sopel, even though he was prone to some bonehead mistakes. Most important, its good to get some dept back on the blue line, and as long as Nonis doesn't deal away the first and third round picks, then thats fine by me.

But fuk it. The Flames reacquired the spaz case Conroy, then the Canucks can go get Sopel back too.

[Cat Smasher]

Back to Vancouver......he shouldn't have left.

[bengino]

what the heck is up with this market... Rivet fetches a first round pick, Sopel a 2nd and 4th, Tkachuk gets a 1st , 2nd and 3rd.....

nive move as insurance policy in case a d-man goes down.

[peacemaker]

Smolinski is a potentially nice depth addition as well.
2 very nice pick ups at the dealine.

I hope we are done though. This team needed depth, and we got it. Let the boys that got us this far play now.

[johano90]

I don't follow the Canucks too closely, but I feel that this move was kind of unnecessary. They have Edler, why not let him play? Lets be honest here, how much more playoff experience is a guy like Sopel going to bring to a hockey club? LA picked up some nice picks along the way.

[peacemaker]

Sopel will see top 4 minutes. It would be a shocker if Edler could do that (esp in the playoffs) having never played a pro playoff game in North America.

Sopel has 31 career playoff games under his belt in the NHL. Edler has played 35 regular season games in the AHL.

Sopel has his faults but at this point in his career he is a much wiser guy to lean on than Edler.

That may change real soon, but not this yr.