Fabian Brunnstrom's long, torturous journey with the Dallas Stars has ended. Today, the team announced that the Swedish left wing has been traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Mikhail Stefanovich, a prospect in the Toronto system that no one has ever heard of.

According to the Stars press release, Stefanovich was actually a very successful forward in the QMJHL with 210 points in 171 career games in three seasons with the Quebec Ramparts, but has been underwhelming in short stints in the ECHL and AHL before heading to the Minsk Dynamo of the KHL. He has just one goal in 15 games after heading back to his home town.

So, the Stars trade a promising young forward who quickly flamed out for the rights to a forward who had to head back to the KHL after strugging in the minors in North America...and is now struggling there.

Sounds about right.

The Stars signed Brunnstrom to a one-way contract this past summer, which surprised many who felt that he needed extensive time in the AHL after two very disappointing seasons with the Stars. It appears that contract, that had the Stars paying the forward $675,000 this season while playing 31 games for the Texas Stars, is likely the contributing factor for this trade. The Stars needed to get some money off the books, and Brunnstrom was victim. He's been very successful in Cedar Park lately, and I'm sure that Stars fans there will be sad to see him go.

For us Dallas Stars fans, we can finally move forward from what was ultimately a failed experiment of disappointing proportions.

Press release after the jump.

Stefanovich, 21, has played 15 games with Minsk Dynamo of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), recording one goal and two penalty minutes. The Minsk, Belarus, native, dressed in two games for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL) going scoreless and appeared in four games for the Reading Royals (ECHL), collecting five points (3g, 2a) this season.

The 6-2, 202-pound right wing skated three seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for the Quebec Remparts, tallying 210 points (106g, 104a) in 171 games for the club. Stefanovich also recorded 36 points (18g, 18a) in 36 career QMJHL playoff games with Quebec. He was Toronto's third round selection (98th overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Brunnstrom, 25, has played in 37 games for the Texas Stars, Dallas' primary affiliate in the AHL, posting 21 points (11g, 10a). He has played 99 career NHL games, all with Dallas, collecting 40 points (19g, 21a). The Jonstrop, Sweden, native agreed to a one-year, one-way contract extension worth $675,000 on July 23, 2010 with Dallas. Brunnstom was originally signed as a free agent by Dallas on May 8, 2000.