Doug Wilson is keeping busy to make a tight cap space work after signing defenseman Erik Karlsson to an eight-year contract extension yesterday. In a move that recovers some depleted draft picks and makes room on a crowded blueline, the San Jose Sharks have traded defenseman Justin Braun to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a second-round pick (41st overall) at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and a third-round pick in 2020.
Braun was drafted by the Sharks in the seventh round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, 201st overall. He worked his way up through the organization, playing parts of three seasons with the Worcester Sharks of the AHL. The 32-year-old has mostly played with Marc-Edouard Vlasic in a shut-down role. In nine seasons with the Sharks, he has totaled 24 goals and 130 assists, while averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time since 2013-14.
This upcoming season will be the final season of Braun’s five-year contract he signed in 2014. He carries a $3.8 million cap hit.
“Justin has been an important part of our organization since we drafted him in 2007 and over that time, we have seen him develop not only as a player on the ice but as a man,” said Wilson in the release. “He has played a large role in our team’s success since joining the Sharks roster, including appearing in three Conference Finals and competing for the Stanley Cup in 2016. I want to thank Justin and his wife, Jessie, for their commitment to the Sharks organization and wish them all the best in their future.”
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