The Vancouver Canucks introduced that the crew has acquired ahead Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames. In return, the Canucks will ship Andrei Kuzmenko, Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo, a first-round decide in 2024 and a conditional fourth-round decide in 2024. The Flames have additionally confirmed the deal.
Being part of the Flames group for the higher elements of six seasons, Lindholm has become an efficient two-way risk throughout the league. Throughout his time in Calgary, Lindholm performed in a complete of 418 regular-season video games, scoring 148 objectives and 357 factors within the course of. His greatest offensive output got here throughout the 2021-22 season, scoring 42 objectives and 82 factors in all 82 video games, serving to the Flames end third place within the Western Convention.
With their eyes already set on the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs on this deal, Lindholm brings restricted postseason expertise. Over his 5 full seasons in Calgary, Lindholm managed to participate within the postseason in three of these seasons, going so far as the Western Convention semi-finals. In 27 postseason video games, Lindholm has scored eight objectives and 17 factors in addition to a 55.5% success charge on the faceoff date, a little bit of an enchancment over his 53.3% common season common all through his profession.
It is going to be attention-grabbing to see how precisely the Canucks deploy Lindholm, as J.T. Miller has proven appreciable effectiveness because the crew’s second-line middle. With Lindholm’s versatility up and down the lineup, the crew might choose to maneuver both participant to the wing to maintain them each within the high six. However, now tied on the high of the league standings, it will likely be more and more tough for any opponent to match up in opposition to a mix of Lindholm, Miller, Elias Petterson and Brock Boeser on any given evening.
After the deal was first reported, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported that no extension talks have been mentioned between Lindholm and the Canucks. If Vancouver is certainly viewing him as a rental, the Flames obtained fairly a haul for an asset the Canucks might solely have for a couple of months.
Initially, Calgary was reportedly on Kuzmenko’s 12-team no-trade checklist, however LeBrun later confirmed that Kuzmenko signed off on his inclusion within the deal. Not becoming into Rick Tocchet’s system in Vancouver, the Canucks have been trying to transfer on from Kuzmenko for almost the entire season.
Within the first season of a two-year, $11M extension signed with Vancouver final season, Kuzmenko brings much-needed offensive prowess to the highest of the Flames’ lineup. In a forgotten season final yr for the group, Kuzmenko completed fourth on the crew in scoring, placing up 39 objectives and 74 factors in 81 video games.
Setting apart some wholesome scratches earlier within the yr, Kuzmenko has nonetheless produced respectably this season, scoring eight objectives and 21 factors in 43 video games. Moreover, Kuzmenko’s powerplay talents have led him to 17 objectives already in his younger profession, which ought to assist a Flames power-play unit that at the moment sits twenty ninth within the NHL.
So far as the prospects heading to Alberta, Brzustewicz was initially drafted seventy fifth total by the Canucks in final yr’s draft. Suiting up for the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL this yr, Brzustewicz seems to be considerably of a diamond within the tough. In 47 video games performed for the Rangers, Brzustewicz has scored eight objectives and a whopping 61 assists, which is a formidable 17 greater than the following closest participant. With the Flames set to overlook a number of defensemen to both commerce or free company by subsequent season, the right-handed capturing Brzustewicz might characteristic within the lineup as quickly as subsequent yr.
Jormo, one other defenseman, was additionally a third-round collection of Vancouver going 82nd total within the 2020 NHL Draft. Not having made his skilled debut in North America but, Jormo doesn’t carry the same offensive pedigree to the desk as Brzustewicz. However, standing at 6-foot-4, Jarmo can cowl massive swaths of ice for the Flames defensive core. Nonetheless enjoying in his native Finland, Jormo has scored a complete of 4 factors in 35 video games cut up between Ilves and KooKoo of the Finnish Ligga this yr.
Within the draft picks, the first-round choice acquired within the deal will undoubtedly be on the backside of the draft, on condition that Vancouver is on tempo to win this yr’s President’s Trophy. Proudly owning each their very own and the New Jersey Devils’ fourth-round decide within the 2024 NHL Draft, the Canucks will be capable to select which decide precisely results in Calgary.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the primary to report that talks have been intensifying between Calgary and Vancouver.
Frank Seravalli of the Each day Faceoff was the primary to substantiate that Lindholm was headed to the Canucks.
Friedman was the primary to report that Brzustewicz can be headed to Calgary.
