Vancouver Canucks defenseman mysteriously leaves the team indefinitely

The Vancouver Canucks officially announced the move Thursday morning after rumors of defenseman Erik Brannstrom being called up had been circulating for the previous day. Canucks general manager Patrick Allvin declared Thursday morning that Brannstrom will finally have the opportunity to play in the NHL after beginning the season in the AHL.

In the process, they also made an unexpected announcement: Derek Forbort, a fellow defender, is departing the team. It's unclear how long the Vancouver Canucks will be without the seasoned defenseman. The general manager of the Canucks declared that defenseman Derek Forbort, 32, would be departing the team for "personal reasons."

After three seasons with the Boston Bruins, Forbort, 32, inked a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Canucks this summer. The seasoned defenseman has only scored one point in three games this season.

The 6-foot-4 Minnesota native has also played for the Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets, and Calgary Flames during his 499-game career.

In his 266 NHL games, the 25-year-old Brannstrom played 76 games with the Ottawa Senators last season, scoring 20 points (3 goals, 17 assists).

Brannstrom has three assists in two games this season, which puts him ahead of his AHL team in points.

Tonight marks the Canucks' return to action. To get their first victory of the 2024-25 NHL season, they will play the Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers in Vancouver.