Just before All-Star Weekend, the Canucks and Flames made a major trade involving Elias Lindholm and Andrei Kuzmenko.
The Vancouver Canucks made a huge trade on the eve of All-Star Weekend.
Late in the afternoon, reports poured in from NHL officials that the Canucks and Calgary Flames were working on a trade involving center Elias Lindholm and winger Andrei Kuzmenko.
One complication preventing a trade is that the Flames are on Kuzmenko's 12-team no-trade list.
For a trade to go through, Kuzmenko would have to agree to go to Calgary.
Kuzmenko's attorney, Dan Milstein, said those talks had been underway since Sunday. After speaking with the Flames' general manager and head coach, Kuzmenko agreed to waive his no-trade clause.
Complete trade details on Kuzmenko and Lindholm trade
Of course, this deal wasn't one-for-one as the Canucks had to include several other pieces to balance the trade.
Those pieces include a first-round pick and two promising defensemen, Hunter Buzstevic and Joni Jurmo.
Buzstevic was selected by the Canucks in the third round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. He has had a dominant post-draft season in the OHL. He leads the Kitchener Rangers with 69 points in 47 games, which is tops among defensemen in the OHL and ranks third in the OHL in scoring.
Buzstevic is improving, but scouts are wondering if the habits that got him points in the OHL will translate to the NHL. If that happens, he could become a top-four quality defenseman for the Flames. If not, the Canucks made the smart move of trading him at the peak of his value.
Jurmo was also a third-round pick in 2020. He's a 6-foot-5 defenseman with an interesting skill set and is an especially strong skater. The problem is that his impressive toolset hasn't worked particularly well on the ice.
In this season's Finnish Liga, 21-year-old Jurmo has scored four goals in 35 games. It's doubtful he had much of a future in the Canucks organization, but he could get another chance to earn an NHL contract with the Flames.
The Canucks will be hoping the 2024 first-round pick involved in the deal is a late first-round pick. Not only would that mean giving a lower pick to a divisional rival, but it would also mean a long playoff run with Lindholm in the lineup.
A conditional fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft could depend on Lindholm re-signing in Vancouver.
Lindholm could make a big difference for the Canucks
Lindholm broke out with the Flames as an anchor alongside Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, scoring career-highs 42 goals and 82 points in 2021-22.
But his game took a step back without those two star players, and it took another step back this season with the loss of linemate Tyler Toffoli. He currently has just nine goals and 32 points in 49 games while playing first line for the Flames.
But in Vancouver, Lindholm should be an immediate upgrade in terms of linemates.
Lindholm is a strong two-way center and could anchor the second line behind the lottery line if head coach Rick Tocchet can get it together. Alternatively, Lindholm has plenty of experience playing on the wing during his NHL career and could be a good fit alongside Elias Pettersson if Tocchet prefers to break down the roto line to increase his scoring potential. .
The latter option may be the most appealing to the Canucks. Lindholm and Pettersson would be a strong pairing, forming a top-six forward duo with JT Miller and Brock Boeser, and head coach Rick Tocchet could potentially rotate other wingers. These are in his two lines.
Lindholm and Pettersson's strong defensive games could allow them to be used in matchup roles, something that wasn't possible when Pettersson was playing alongside Kuzmenko.
The trade also means the Canucks will have six All-Stars in Toronto, as Lindholm represented the Flames.
Kuzmenko could not find a fit in Tochet's system
Kuzmenko racked up 39 goals last season, his first in the NHL, but has struggled this season. He had a hard time finding a fit in Tocchet's system, scoring just eight goals in 43 games despite playing with Pettersson on the first power play unit for most of the season.
Struggling to adapt his east-west style to Tocchet's north-south expectations resulted in him being benched frequently and scratched by Canucks coaches.
“First of all, I would like to thank Cousy for everything he has done for the Vancouver Canucks. Andrei has worked hard to improve his game and adapt to professional life in North America.” Allvin said in a statement from the Canucks. “With the acquisition of Elias Lindholm, we feel he has greatly improved our hockey team. He is a proven front-line performer, and as we put together our top two lines, we feel he has greatly improved our hockey team. It will give head coach Rick Tocchet more options.”
Kuzmenko received a $5.5 million cap hit and was signed for an additional season. Lindholm, on the other hand, has a $4.85 million cap hit and is set to become an unrestricted free agent. This trade would free up a significant amount of cap space for the Canucks next season, as neither team will be retaining any salary, but it also means the Canucks will need to re-sign Elias Peterson and Filip Hronek. When you think about it, this is important.
This trade also frees up some cap space for this season, which could make future trades easier for the Canucks.
Will there be more trades for the Canucks?
Apparently, the Lindholm deal may not even be the only trade between the Canucks and Flames. A trade for former Canuck Chris Tanev has also been floated, and was at one point discussed as part of a trade for Lindholm, according to TSN's Darren Drager and other reports.
However, even if a Tanev trade were to happen, it might not happen until after the All-Star Game.
