Vancouver Adds to Blueline, Beefs Up Bottomline.

From TSN.

"The Vancouver Canucks have added a lot of depth to their blueline in a short period of time. The team has acquired defencemen Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenceman Daniel Rahimi and forward Patrick White. Vancouver also announced on Friday that they have inked veteran defenceman Mathieu Schneider to a contract."

The Sharks have been in desperate need to clear cap space. With little room under the cap and many roster spots to fill a deal was inevitable. However, with the trade it is the Canucks that are now pressed to the cap taking on more than $4.6 million in salary in the trade and adding Schneider as well.

Erhoff will help offset the loss of Mattias Ohlund and will help on the powerplay. Lukowich provides the Canucks with another steady veteran blueliner who has won a Stanley Cup.

"In exchange, the Canucks give up a pair of recent draft picks. Rahimi was selected in the third round in 2006, and played the last two seasons with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. White was Vancouver's first round pick (25th overall) in 2007, and played last season for the University of Minnesota."

Schneider, now 40, still plays as if he were years younger. He possesses all-around skills and leadership qualities that many teams would love to have.

Vancouver in one felled swoop have turned a potential team weakness into a strength, but with a cap cost that may push some younger players out. San Jose clears the cap room they had to and now have more than $5 million to round out their roster. Everyone wins here folks.