Vancouver Canucks And Calgary Flames Official Complete Blockbuster Trade

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Hunter Bowman
January 31, 2024 (8:47 PM)

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The Vancouver Canucks fulfilled their quest for a top-six forward in the lead-up to the March 8 trade deadline, securing Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames. The trade involved sending forward Andrei Kuzmenko to Calgary, but initial complications arose due to Kuzmenko's presence on the no-trade list.

Pierre LeBrun clarified the situation, confirming that Kuzmenko had officially accepted the trade to Calgary by signing off on his no-trade clause.

The 27-year-old forward, subject to trade rumors for weeks, has struggled in the current season, and a change of scenery could benefit him.

Kuzmenko is in the first year of a two-year, $11 million contract signed in January 2023, with a $5.5 million cap hit, having scored eight goals so far.Notably, the trade doesn't include an extension for Lindholm, making him, at least initially, a rental player for Vancouver.

Lindholm's participation in the All-Star Game slowed down the process, but the Flames forward is expected to move before the March 8 deadline.

With talks of a contract extension with the Flames faltering and Calgary currently out of the playoff picture, Lindholm's departure makes strategic sense for GM Craig Conroy.

Lindholm, who recently ended a 15-game scoring drought, has accumulated nine goals and 23 assists in 49 games this season. These developments mark a significant shift for the Flames' key player as he heads towards the end of his contract year in Calgary.