 At $2 million over two years, the contract saw O'Brien make $875,000 the first year and $1.125 million in 2008–09 – a raise from his $495,000 salary of the previous season.He would improve to four goals and 21 points in the subsequent season.On October 6, 2008, O'Brien was traded with forward Michel Ouellet to the Vancouver Canucks for defenceman Lukáš Krajíček and prospect Juraj Šimek.