The Vancouver Canucks announced that the team has acquired forward Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames. In return, the Canucks will send Andrei Kuzmenko, Hunter Brzustewicz, and Joni Jurmo, a first-round pick in 2024, and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2024. The Flames have also confirmed the deal.
Being a part of the Flames organization for the better parts of six seasons, Lindholm has turned into an effective two-way threat across the league. During his time in Calgary, Lindholm played in a total of 418 regular season games, scoring 148 goals and 357 points in the process. His best offensive output came during the 2021-22 season, scoring 42 goals and 82 points in all 82 games, helping the Flames finish third place in the Western Conference.
With their eyes already set on the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs in this deal, Lindholm brings limited postseason experience. Over his five full seasons in Calgary, Lindholm managed to take part in the postseason in three of those seasons, going as far as the Western Conference semi-finals. In 27 postseason games, Lindholm has scored eight goals and 17 points as well as a 55.5% success rate on the faceoff date, a bit of an improvement over his 53.3% regular season average throughout his career.
It will be interesting to see how exactly the Canucks deploy Lindholm, as J.T. Miller has shown considerable effectiveness as the team’s second-line center. With Lindholm’s versatility up and down the lineup, the team may opt to move either player to the wing to keep them both in the top six. Nevertheless, now tied at the top of the league standings, it will be increasingly difficult for any opponent to match up against a combination of Lindholm, Miller, Elias Petterson, and Brock Boeser on any given night. 
After the deal was first reported, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported that no extension talks have been discussed between Lindholm and the Canucks. If Vancouver is indeed viewing him as a rental, the Flames received quite a haul for an asset the Canucks may only have for a few months.
Originally, Calgary was reportedly on Kuzmenko’s 12-team no-trade list, but LeBrun later confirmed that Kuzmenko signed off on his inclusion in the deal. Not fitting into Rick Tocchet’s system in Vancouver, the Canucks have been looking to move on from Kuzmenko for nearly the whole season.
In the first season of a two-year, $11MM extension signed with Vancouver last season, Kuzmenko brings much-needed offensive prowess to the top of the Flames’ lineup. In a forgotten season last year for the organization, Kuzmenko finished fourth on the team in scoring, putting up 39 goals and 74 points in 81 games.
Setting aside some healthy scratches earlier in the year, Kuzmenko has still produced respectably this season, scoring eight goals and 21 points in 43 games. Furthermore, Kuzmenko’s powerplay abilities have led him to 17 goals already in his young career, which should help a Flames powerplay unit that currently sits 29th in the NHL.
As far as the prospects heading to Alberta, Brzustewicz was originally drafted 75th overall by the Canucks in last year’s draft. Suiting up for the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL this year, Brzustewicz appears to be somewhat of a diamond in the rough. In 47 games played for the Rangers, Brzustewicz has scored eight goals and a whopping 61 assists, which is an impressive 17 more than the next closest player. With the Flames set to miss several defensemen to either trade or free agency by next season, the right-handed shooting Brzustewicz could feature in the lineup as soon as next year.
Jurmo, another defenseman, was also a third-round selection of Vancouver going 82nd overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. Not having made his professional debut in North America yet, Jurmo does not bring a similar offensive pedigree to the table as Brzustewicz. Nevertheless, standing at 6’4″, Jarmo can cover large swaths of ice for the Flames defensive core. Still playing in his native Finland, Jurmo has scored a total of four points in 35 games split between Ilves and KooKoo of the Finnish Liiga this year.
In the draft picks, the first-round selection acquired in the deal will undoubtedly be at the bottom of the draft, given that Vancouver is on pace to win this year’s President’s Trophy. Owning both their own and the New Jersey Devils’ fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, the Canucks will be able to choose which pick exactly ends up in Calgary.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report that talks were intensifying between Calgary and Vancouver.
Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff was the first to confirm that Lindholm was headed to the Canucks.
Friedman was the first to report that Brzustewicz would be headed to Calgary.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Kuzmenko, a top prospect and a 1st?
Maybe Podkolzin
that seems like an overpay for a rental. kuzmenko, a 1st and maybe a 3rd
I take it back Not podz but a B+ prospect I’d say with a pick
Is lindholm that much of an upgrade over kuz? Kuz is a good young player.
He’s neither good nor young
If you score 39 goals in the show, you’re good.
So the poster who wanted a 3rd round pick from the Hawks And eat 1 and 1/2 years of a 6 million dollar salary instead sees reality that they had to GIVE away 2 draft picks and 2 players just to save a couple of bucks. Sure Davidson would of jumped all over that. LMAO.
Clears the path to keep Lotto Line (6-Boeser 40-EP 9-Miller) together full time…
Better than wallander or lekkeramaki
they are fools if break up lotto line. both miller and boeser have played their best when it is the three . does not matter who plays center and who plays left winger. leave third line alone. see who fits with Lindholm hopefully closer to gaudreau then huberdeau. one thing about rutherford not afraid do things.
Lindholm to Vancouver makes them a Cup contender IMO. Great trade.
They weren’t already?
They weren’t lol
Tied for most points in the league in February 1st but not a Cup contender? Either you are running a parody account or are very new to hockey.
Jimmy trying to win it all. As usual.
ALLVIN!!!!!!!!!
A+
A total overpay for a FA player on the decline by a team who is already a playoff contender.
What are you on about he is having a downyear..doesn’t mean he’s on the decline, especially considering how bad cgy is. Not much of an overpay..that first rounder is more like a 2nd, kuzmenko is a bit of a wildcard and the rest are 3rds and 4ths
Boston signs him in FA! 5 assets for a rental!
I still not get it, Kuzmenko against Lindholm one on one, I wouldn’t do it.
Interesting trade for sure. Gets me wondering if canucks are gonna try to move someone like Meyers (sp?) for a lighter contract.
Canada might have its best chance of a Stanley Cup in years, between the Canucks, Winnipeg and a resurgent Edmonton. Toronto looks pretty hopeless and the other three aren’t ready.
So for Monahan Montreal askes for a 1st round pick plus a young nhl forward or a top 3-5 organizations prospect i would think
Montreal could also include Savard or a young LD to get a crazy package aswell. Habs have to clear out Savard and 1 of there 5 LD as Hutson will be playing to end the year, Xhakej, Matheson, Ghule and Hutson are 4 LD that will be on the team for the foreseeable future
Kalyev, PLD for Monahan (1/2 salary), WIFI, Allen ($1M retained)
No way any team would be retaining salary to trade for PLD, unless for a more substantial asset such as a top pick in the draft, top prospect etc. Kings just signed PLD to a huge contract that doesnt kick in til next year, if a team is trading a player like that, its a massive red flag.
PLD is as untradeable as it gets right now
PLD contract is the new Erik Karlsson contract. Franchise sinker. 10 year backward step.
Doug, PLD’s contract has already kicked in. He was an RFA when the Kings traded for him last summer and he signed an 8 year deal to take effect this season. Everything all you said was true though.
Wifi stays. There was a story posted the habs turned down a trade offer of a young nhl player with 2nd line potential and a 1st rounder. I believe it was from the kings for Kalyev personally. Wifi, ghule and hutson stay long term. Matheson due to his contact stays aswell. The habs not counting hutson or Reinbacher have barron, Ghule, wifi, harris, Struble and a guy in The ahl whos name slips my mind RN that have top 4 dmen potential with some being a 2/3 and PP specialists. They are trading Savard this deadline and either the deadline or draft will trade at least 1 LS dman in a package for a forward
Mallioux is the AHL dman and Wifi excelled in the AHL and does good on the show. He has 8-10G 30A top 4 shutdown pp and PK dman written allover him who is a perfect playoff guy no way hes moves. That being said there were apparently big offers for Anderson last year, from the devils in particular and i thought if they were really offers that were that good why not sell him as a rebuilding club. Its said they wanted the devils slovak Dman who they drafted 2 or 3 behind Slakofsky and they balked. This year Anderson isn’t player bad but not great and its looking like they maybe should have traded him. Again Anderson is another 1 of those big body 20g+ scoring talents that win playoff series, when he is at his best that is.
Once again you are overvaluing your Habs players Murphy. Last week you claimed Gallagher was a 20 goal player, who hasn’t done that in 5 seasons, and is on the wrong side of 30 (32 in a couple months), and has been declining for years. And now you are claiming Anderson is a 20 goal scorer, who has done it exactly 2 times in his 10 year career, is consistently injured, and also turns 30 in a couple months. Size means nothing if you’re softer than Charmin. They also both command larger amounts of money on their contracts with each having at least 3 years and 5.5M left on their contracts and only 1 retention spot left (which is expected to be used on Monahan).
Are you next going to try and tell us PK Subban is still an All-star caliber NHL defenseman when it’s clear he’s not even an NHL capable analyst?
We’ll read about an extension in the next 48 hours ….
How? They have roughly 40M to sign 5 fw (including EP40) 4D and a #2G. EP is rumored in the 11M range and Lindy reportedly turned down 9M from the flames earlier this season. Not enough money to keep the band together.
Summer cap space $36M 11 players signed
Petey 8 x $12M
Lindy 8 x $9M
Hronek 8 x $7.5M
$7.5M left to sign 8
I dont think Petey gets 12, but close. Anyone who signs Lindy to more than 8 is shooting themselves in the foot. Ditto Hronek to more than 6/6.5. But they’ll all get it from somewhere if not Van.
It’ll be interesting to see who Lindholm centers.
I’ll give the Canucks credit for going all in to win a Cup, but anytime you can acquire someone who put up 39 goals in the previous season, you got a nice return.
I think Lindholm signs in Van for 8.5×4. I’d be surprised to see Hronek get 7, 6 even. Vancouver is about to go full on attack mode.
Don’t see it. Vancouver doesn’t have the cap room to sign Pettersen, Lindholm, Hronek & fill out their roster. They don’t have depth on the blueline & have a bunch of holes to fill in the forward corps. Lindholm gets 9 million or more on the free agent market.
Well, now that I think about Sanderson… *winces*… but still. 7 mil is still a lot for a very good d man. Vince Dunn is making 7.5. Larsson prob around 6. Borgen maybe makes 3.1? That’s just one team but… the cap is so tight. The cap should be higher, but top salaries seem reasonable.
Lindholm also reportedly already turned down 8.5+ x8 from the flames. Why would he accept less term on a new team?
Me thinks he gets it from Boston!
Shouldnt that be the goal?
Sounds like the Pens need to pull the trigger if this is the type of return Jake Guentzel can net.
Canucks got fleeced
A troubled winger and 4 wild cards is fleeced???? You cannot grade this trade for 4-5 years!!