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By Pierre LeBrun, Chris Johnston, Saad Yousuf and Julian McKenzie
The Calgary Flames traded veteran defenseman Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars for a 2024 second-round choose, a conditional 2026 third-round choose and prospect Artem Grushnikov, the groups introduced. The Flames are retaining 50 p.c of Tanev’s cap hit and wage. Calgary solely receives Dallas’ 2026 third-round choose if the Stars advance to the 2024 Stanley Cup Ultimate. If that doesn’t occur, no conditional choose can be transferred.
The Stars additionally despatched their 2026 fourth-round choose to the New Jersey Devils. The Devils retained 50 p.c of Tanev’s 2023-24 wage.
Tanev was in excessive demand as an efficient shutdown defender and is the No. 2 participant on The Athletic’s latest trade board.
Stars basic supervisor Jim Nill has struck some shrewd offers by means of the years however this has the potential to be proper on the prime of the listing. It wasn’t arduous for anyone across the NHL to see that the Stars had a dire state of affairs on the blue line, particularly uncovered with current accidents to Jani Hakanpää and Nils Lundkvist. That ought to have given groups leverage and attempt to pry one of many Stars’ prime three prospects in Logan Stankoven (not too long ago elevated to the NHL), Mavrik Bourque and Lian Bichsel.
The Stars have held agency that none of these three prospects have been on the desk in commerce discussions, particularly not for a rental. For Nill to get one of many prime right-shot defensemen available on the market with out giving up a prime prospect or a first-round choose is an instantaneous win. To get 50 p.c wage retention with how tight the Stars are in opposition to the cap makes it even sweeter for Dallas, who will get to carry on to their current blueline group for extra depth.
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The Flames will miss Tanev with this commerce. At 34, Tanev proved to be a dependable defensive defenseman whereas permitting Noah Hanifin to indicate off his offensive presents. His quiet, but humorous character within the Flames locker room endeared him to many teammates. Along with his pending UFA standing within the air and a retool on the horizon, Tanev needed to be dealt forward of final week’s deadline. The argument could possibly be made that if the Flames waited longer, the return for Tanev might’ve been totally different. However what if he acquired harm?
Tanev’s taking part in type doubtless performed a job in why this commerce occurred now and never subsequent week. Tanev has no drawback sacrificing his physique for the nice of the workforce, and can play by means of something. Whereas the chance of harm is on the market for any participant — and Tanev has confirmed to be principally sturdy throughout his Flames tenure — Tanev’s play type was trigger for extra concern than most.
Tanev’s addition immediately provides the Stars choices within the lineup for combos. They will select to place Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley collectively on the prime, a pairing that has been extremely productive for the Stars. They may additionally discover pairing a type of pure lefties with Tanev and pairing the opposite with one other participant to raise a second pairing. Dallas coach Pete DeBoer can have choices to discover main into the postseason.
With no GMs on the market handing out a first-round choose for Tanev, this gave the impression to be the perfect transfer Flames GM Craig Conroy might make. The Flames get a second-round choose on this yr’s draft, giving the Flames 4 picks between the primary two rounds. The Flames can even get a 2026 conditional third, however provided that the Stars undergo to the Stanley Cup Ultimate this yr, and a mission prospect in 20-year-old Grushnikov.
What can be fascinating is the Flames’ retention of wage on Tanev, it’s not one thing that sometimes occurs with this franchise of their historical past by means of trades. However the Flames might have been extra snug doing so on an expiring contract in comparison with one with extra phrases.
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On the floor, it’s a modest return contemplating what the expectation was. Except Grushnikov excels on the AHL degree and emerges within the subsequent few years, the prize of this deal is the 2024 second-rounder.
Tanev signed as a free agent with the Vancouver Canucks in Might 2010 and spent 10 seasons with the Canucks earlier than signing a four-year, $18 million contract with the Flames in 2020.
Tanev notched 14 factors with the Flames this season. He has one aim and 13 assists by means of 56 video games performed in 2023-24.
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(Picture: Sergei Belski / USA As we speak)
