Erik Gudbranson’s tenure in Vancouver may continue past the trade deadline and beyond, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie:

Jim Benning essentially confirmed McKenzie’s report in a conversation with friend of the blog Iain MacIntyre, indicating that he feels Gudbranson provides a physical dimension that the team is lacking and that will be needed in insulate the team’s young players: “[W]e want our young players to be able to play and develop without worrying about getting picked on… We need to have guys on our team who will stand up for them.”

It’s worth noting that Jim Benning made similar comments prior to last year’s trade deadline, so perhaps they should be taken with a grain of salt. Still, it’s unlikely the market will bear a price similar to the one the Canucks gave up for Gudbranson this time around. Perhaps the idea of dealing him for a mid-round pick is simply too unpalatable. We’ll have more analysis of the possibility of a new Erik Gudbranson contract as the deadline approaches.