Vancouver Canucks Acquire Elias Lindholm From The Calgary Flames
The Vancouver Canucks traded winger Andrei Kuzmenko, prospect defensemen Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo, their 2024 first-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-rounder to the Calgary Flames for center Elias Lindholm.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks were rumored for weeks to be interested in landing Lindholm. It’s a clear sign that they’re all-in for the Stanley Cup by adding the 29-year-old two-way center.
Calgary Flames trade center Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks (NHL Images).
Lindholm is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 unless he and the Canucks agree to a contract extension. That could depend on how well he fits in and whether they have sufficient cap space to sign him with Elias Pettersson due for a major raise this summer as a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.
For now, however, this move should significantly improve the Canucks second line and bolster their chances for a Cup run this spring. Lindholm tallied 82 points in 2022-23 but his production dropped after the Flames lost Johnny Gaudreau to free agency and traded away Matthew Tkachuk. He should regain his scoring touch with the Canucks’ potent offense.
Kuzmenko carries a $5.5 million average annual value through next season. He also has a 12-team no-trade clause but reportedly agreed to be shipped to the Flames. The 27-year-old winger tallied 39 goals and 74 points in 2022-23 but struggled to replicate those numbers this season. His one-dimensional play frustrated the Canucks’ coaching staff as they tried to improve his all-around game. Perhaps a shift to the Flames will help him return to form.
The deal also brings in two blueline prospects as well as an additional first and fourth-round picks to the Flames as it appears they’re about to engage in a roster retool. This could also signal that defensemen Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin could be next to go. Like Lindholm, they’re both pending UFAs who’ve been the subject of frequent trade speculation this season.
This is the second trade between these two clubs this season. On Nov. 30, the Flames traded defenseman Nikita Zadorov to the Canucks for two draft picks. This deal should silence recent speculation suggesting Zadorov could be moved in a cost-cutting trade.
Hey Captain Obvious ,
did you see that Trade……⁉️ 4 pieces for EL…!!
The price just went up for the Habs Sean Monahan.. A 1st pick and 2nd peice ….👍
Graig Conroy did very well in the Trade it was actually Very Good Teade or both teams…..👍
Canucks still have $2.M in Cap Space some how i dont think they are done yet,
Would they move the big d/man @ $6.M Tyler Myers or do they keep him for the Run……………🤔
Only caveat is that I wouldn’t count Kuzmenko as a piece that Van lost. He wasn’t playing, he didn’t fit with the coaches plan, and getting rid of his contract was a win for Vancouver.
So Vancouver got 3 things in the deal: they got EL. they got rid of Kuzmenko. they got extra salary cap space (yes, Kuzmenko is a higher cap hit than EL).
Van would have had to trade that 1st round pick just to get rid of Kuz even if EL wasn’t coming back.
Gonna be fun to watch Van give him an 8 x 9M contrat, and Petey a 8 x 12M contract and Hronek an 8 x 7.9M contract for next year!!!!!!😆
I suspect Nucks have a salary structure they want to live by. Based around Miller – $8mil.
If the guys are all serious abt winning and want to stay. Yes, they will be lower pd than equivalents but will give a team the ability to compete. Not like Leafs and to some extent oilers, Lightning and Avalanche. All good teams and cup worthy but have lost players because they got too expensive.
ex: EP – $10m, Boeser – $6M Lindy – $7M Hronek – 6M.
so JZ your $29 mil above would be $23M for me
Pay has gotten way too high for some of these stars, teams sign them but they cant afford any supporting cast.
If they dont want to sign under this structure, they can be traded.
How many times have ytou seen, in a contract year, the player has a career year and asks for a higher than expected contract and gets it?
I think GM’s should start looking at past 3 years, that is a better idea of expectation, plus analyze how age will affect production.
The Canucks are all-in for this year, but I think they’re unlikely to re-sign Lindholm. The focus will be on re-signing Pettersson and Hronek.
Nuks win trade if he resigns or they win cup otherwise edge goes to flames Overall a pretty solid trade for both parties
The pieces they gave up aren’t that significant honestly. I wonder……if they are going to flip Lindholm to someone else in 5 weeks.
No. The Canucks are all-in this season. Lindholm was acquired because they want to stage a run for the Stanley Cup.
Yeah, PLD (retain 2M ), Kaliyev and a 1st for Lindholm. 😁
That is utterly ridiculous.
I take back everything I have said about Craig Conroy. He got a significant return for a player that wasn’t going to resign. I hope Kyle Dubas can do as well when trading Guentzel.
PLD probably wants out of LA anyway. That’s who he is. Way overrated malcontent player