Forget the Stanley Cup playoffs - the Vancouver Canucks and Florida Panthers have swung a trade.

The Canucks have dealt forward Jared McCann, a second-round pick and a fourth-round selection to the Panthers for defenseman Erik Gudbranson and a fifth-rounder, Vancouver announced Wednesday night.

All picks in the trade will be from the 2016 draft.

None of Gudbranson's salary will be retained in the deal, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston, who was first to report the trade.

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The Washington Post's Adam Kilgore published a deep dive Wednesday about a group of more than 100 former NHLers suing the league over concussions while remaining loyal to the game of hockey. It's an interesting read with a few notable nuggets:

• Boston University's Dr. Robert Cantu says there isn't enough evidence yet to determine whether the average hockey player will leave the game with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) due to repeated head trauma. The brains of enforcers have been studied, but not enough brains, in general, have been looked at.
• The NHL created a concussion work group in 1997 and almost 20 years later, a neurologist isn't on the panel, according to Dr. Frank Conidi, the Florida Panthers' team neurologist.
• Conidi said the NHL is far behind the NFL with respect to concussion awareness.
• "That's because they haven't had the legal action going on to the point where the NFL has," Conidi said. "The biggest issue is lack of input by neurologists. It's not mandatory. The NFL requires a player to be diagnosed by a neurologist before they go back. (Neurologists) just do a better job with our examinations, because it's our specialty."

Read the full piece from The Washington Post here.

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Jamie Benn's got one season left on his contract, but don't worry, Dallas Stars fans, that'll soon change.

General manager Jim Nill was on SiriusXM NHL Network radio Wednesday and while acknowledging that contract negotiations with any player are always difficult, Benn's not going anywhere.

" ... We're going to get something done. He's the captain of our team," Nill said. "He's in the prime of his career. I know he wants to get it done before the season starts and so do we. We'll start working on that, and we're going to end up getting something done."

Benn will turn 27 on July 18. He followed up his career-best Art Ross Trophy-winning 2014-15 season with the best season of his career in 2015-16. He scored a career-high 41 goals and finished with 89 points, trailing only Patrick Kane in league scoring.

Set to earn $5.75 million in 2016-17, Benn is in line for a substantial raise on a long-term contract. And he's been remarkably durable. Benn's missed only one regular-season game over the past three seasons. He has 255 points in 245 games over that span, and 20 points in 19 career playoff games, all with Dallas.

A fifth-round pick in 2007, Benn is one of the league's elite talents, and will soon be paid like it.

- With H/T to Today's Slapshot

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The Boston Bruins have made their wishlist heading into the offseason.

"We have areas that we want to address in the depth of our organization, likely in the forward position, either on the right wing or the center, or again, on the back end," general manager Don Sweeney said on a Wednesday conference call, according to NHL.com's Caryn Switaj.

While the Bruins would like to improve on their fifth-ranked offense, they were also 20th in goals against, and Sweeney appears most focused on bringing in another puck-moving defenseman to help complement the club's current defensive core.

"I think we need to look for another transitional d-man," said Sweeney. "We've had talks with (impending restricted free agent) Torey (Krug) and we'll find, whatever term that ends up being, we'll find a contract for him.

"But we're looking for balance. We're also looking for players like Colin Miller to take the next step. We've got younger players that will hopefully push, and that's what you want."

According to Sweeney, the Bruins could look to either free agency or the draft to acquire such a defenseman, but whatever the case, Sweeney maintains management will be "aggressive" in its pursuit.

"We're exploring a bunch of different things trade-wise," Sweeney said. "It's difficult in this league, but I think that we're in the position with two first-round picks to be either selecting really good players or to be in the marketplace."

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Pavel Datsyuk officially has options to consider.

The Detroit Red Wings forward's agent, Dan Milstein, confirmed to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press and the NHL's official website that his client has received an offer to play for SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL.

Milstein says no decision will be made until Datsyuk meets with the Red Wings in mid-June, as he's planned to do since heading to the World Championship in Russia to represent the host country.

The agent dismissed a report of SKA St. Petersburg's interest last week, saying his client hadn't spoken to any other teams while at the tournament and didn't have another agreement in place.

Now, Milstein admits there has been at least one offer outside Detroit, and there could be more coming.

"We expect offers from others, as well," the agent said. "(But) Pavel will not do anything until he first sits down with (Red Wings general manager) Ken Holland."

Datsyuk is about to take a vacation after helping Russia earn the bronze medal at the worlds. He won't return to the U.S. before June 15 at the earliest, according to the Free Press.

The 37-year-old is under contract with the Red Wings for one more season at a cap hit of $7.5 million.

Barring a trade of his rights to another NHL club, the final year of his deal would remain on Detroit's books even if he departs for the KHL, because he signed it after turning 35.

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The San Jose Sharks are hoping Wednesday is the day the music dies.

The club's graphic design team put together a creative yet confrontational rally towel for fans at SAP Center to wave during Game 6 against the St. Louis Blues.

We've heard of cuts to the arts, but this is ridiculous.

The Blues hope to avoid being silenced (and eaten) in Wednesday night's elimination game.

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The San Jose Sharks are hoping Wednesday is the day the music dies.

The club's graphic design team put together a creative yet confrontational rally towel for fans at SAP Center to wave during Game 6 against the St. Louis Blues.

We've heard of cuts to the arts, but this is ridiculous.

The Blues hope to avoid being silenced (and eaten) in Wednesday night's elimination game.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After an incredible freshman season with Michigan, Kyle Connor may have lost out on the 2016 Hobey Baker Award for the top men's collegiate player to Harvard's Jimmy Vesey, but his first college season has earned him a different honor.

The 19-year-old, who led college hockey with 35 goals and 71 points, was named the College Player of the Year by USA Hockey on Tuesday.

Connor was recognized by the NCAA, being awarded the Tim Taylor award, given to the top freshman in Division I hockey.

The Winnipeg Jets prospect recently represented the United States at the IIHF World Championship, recording a pair of assists in five games.

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