It’s NHL trade deadline day, but the action picked up this week on Wednesday and Thursday. A flurry of trades has wreaked havoc on The Athletic’s trade board but you can keep an eye out here for updates. The Athletic also has live coverage of the NHL trade deadline right here.
The deadline action really kicked off with the Elias Lindholm trade to the Canucks and we’ve been dishing out Trade Grades analysis ever since. Here they all are so far with many more to come today.
Golden Knights pull off stunner by getting Tomas Hertl from Sharks
Golden Knights get: Forward Tomas Hertl, 2025 third-round pick, 2027 third-round pick.
Sharks get: 2025 first-round pick, forward David Edstrom (also retain 17 percent of Hertl’s salary).
Adding Tomas Hertl, as was the case with Noah Hanifin, isn’t just an attempt to load up for another Stanley Cup run in 2024. Their ambitions run deeper, and they’ve now got the roster to match. In Hertl, they’re getting a top-six center through his prime for $6.75 million a year, thanks to San Jose retaining 17 percent of his contract.
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Hertl, no matter what, is a wonderful player. If there were issues surrounding him, though, it’s that he might have been a bit over-extended as a first-line center on an elite team, and that, as he enters his 30s, he may have been paid a bit too much. With Vegas, both of those disappear. He’ll slot in behind Jack Eichel, and he’ll no longer count for $8.167 million against the cap. In other words, Vegas now has one of the best second-line centers on the planet signed to, potentially, a below-market deal.
It’s not a bad deal for the Sharks. They had no use for Hertl — all he’d do over the next couple of years was decrease their odds in the lottery. David Edstrom seems like he’ll be a player, and first-round picks have value. Plus, when Hertl starts to decline, it’ll only be 17 percent of their problem. It’s fair to wonder if a better deal would’ve been available at the draft, but Grier deserves plenty of credit here.
Golden Knights grade: A+
Sharks grade: A
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NHL trade grades: Golden Knights pull off stunner by getting Tomas Hertl from Sharks
Did Toronto need Connor Dewar, a penalty-killing fourth-liner?
Maple Leafs get: Forward Connor Dewar.
Wild get: Fourth-round draft pick in 2026, center Dmitry Ovchinnikov.
Dewar spent most of the past three seasons playing as the Wild’s fourth-line center, which is likely where he’ll fit in with the Leafs. It’s easy to talk about all the things he isn’t because there are a few.
What Dewar can do is kill penalties, and for a Leafs team that is currently 22nd in the NHL in penalty-killing at 77.5 percent, that’s a skill worth adding. After landing two defensemen to add physicality to their blue line (Ilya Lyubushkin and Joel Edmundson), the Leafs added the other minor piece they were after: A little extra depth at forward for minimal compensation. Toronto had its managerial hands tied a little by the absence of second-round picks that had been traded away previously — and unlike some of the big swingers, they weren’t prepared to part with a first-rounder. So, this is a minor addition for a modest price.
Maple Leafs grade: C
Wild grade: C
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NHL trade grades: Did Toronto need Connor Dewar, a penalty-killing fourth-liner?
Matt Dumba deal speaks to Lightning’s sense of urgency
Lightning get: Defenseman Matt Dumba, seventh-round draft pick in 2025.
Coyotes get: Fifth-round draft pick in 2027.
All you needed to do was watch the Tampa Bay Lightning lose decisively to the Calgary Flames on Thursday night to illustrate why they made a move on Matt Dumba. The defense was in shambles. Without Mikhail Sergachev, they’ve relied far too heavily on Victor Hedman, who is eating monster minutes. While Dumba, as a right-shot defenseman, isn’t an ideal fit, he’s a useful supplementary piece, one they could desperately use. After the run on defensemen in the last 72 hours, Dumba was almost the last man standing, someone to provide the depth that most contenders think they need.
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What the Coyotes got seems like no return at all for a player who’d agreed to a modest, one-year, $3.9 million contract with the Coyotes last summer. The only good thing, from Arizona’s point of view, is they didn’t need to retain salary.
Lightning grade: B+
Coyotes grade: D
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NHL trade grades: Matt Dumba deal speaks to Lightning's sense of urgency
Rangers take a flier on forward Jack Roslovic
Rangers get: Forward Jack Roslovic.
Blue Jackets get: Conditional fourth-round pick.
Roslovic is an excellent skater who can provide a much-needed speed element to the Rangers forward group which is something they’ve been missing with Filip Chytil out due to injury. Roslovic’s pure scoring touch won’t dazzle, but he has enough skill to provide secondary offense while being able to be a reliable enough two-way player.
On the Rangers, he won’t be a go-to guy, but he can be a solid bottom-six addition.
Rangers grade: B+
Blue Jackets grade: C+
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NHL trade grades: Rangers take flier on forward Jack Roslovic
Andrew Peeke deal is an odd choice by the Bruins
Bruins get: Defenseman Andrew Peeke.
Columbus Blue Jackets get: Defenseman Jakub Zboril, third-round pick in 2027.
It’s not surprising that someone traded for Peeke. He’s a 6-foot-3, right-shot defenseman who plays with some physicality. The rest of this deal, though, is a little odd. Boston doesn’t have a glaring need for a player on the right side, for one, while the left side (and the forward group) is another story. Beyond that, they’re in a short-term cap crunch, and Peeke is — at best — a reclamation project signed for two more years at a $2.75 million cap hit. The hope, clearly, is that Peeke — still just 25 years old — improves with the Bruins over the next two years.
On the Blue Jackets’ side? Good work. No real notes. Peeke was a regular scratch, struggled when he made it into the lineup and made too much money.
Bruins grade: D
Blue Jackets grade: A
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NHL trade grades: Andrew Peeke deal is an odd choice by the Bruins
Devils get a goalie in Jake Allen but is it enough?
Devils get: Goaltender Jake Allen.
Canadiens: Conditional third-round pick (also retain 50 percent of Allen’s salary).
There’s absolutely no doubt the Devils need help in goal. Between Nico Daws, Akira Schmid and Vitek Vanecek, the team has allowed a combined 16.7 goals above expected in all situations. But in the words of the great JoJo, it’s just too little too late. Allen should be an upgrade on what the Devils currently have. He’s been average at best this season, though, so there still isn’t a ton of confidence in their crease. Maybe that changes in New Jersey, since his in-game workload shouldn’t be as hefty as it was in Montreal.
Devils grade: B –
Canadiens grade: B
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NHL trade grades: Devils get a goalie in Jake Allen but is it enough?
Erik Johnson adds some depth and insurance for Flyers’ playoff drive
Flyers get: Defenseman Erik Johnson.
Sabres get: Fourth-round pick in 2024.
In the short term, Johnson likely will slot in on the third pair for the Flyers. Once they start to get healthy, Johnson could slip down the roster and turn into an insurance policy as a seventh defenseman. It was worth paying the price if it helps them hold off the teams trying to chase them down in the standings and secure a playoff spot. An easily defensible move, on both fronts.
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For the Sabres, Johnson returned some reasonable value for a player who likely had no future with them.
Flyers grade: B
Sabres grade: B
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NHL trade grades: Erik Johnson adds some depth and insurance for Flyers' playoff drive
Predators land Jason Zucker from Coyotes at a bargain price
Predators get: Forward Jason Zucker.
Coyotes get: Sixth-round draft pick.
Zucker brings a value beyond the raw statistical numbers. You’ve heard a lot from the Predators about organizational values and philosophy since Barry Trotz took over as general manager. Talent matters, but they’ve put a premium on character and team play — and that’s what Zucker will bring. In Nashville, he fleshes out a top six that has been decidedly top-heavy this year.
As for Arizona, flipping Zucker at the deadline was always an option when the Coyotes signed him to a one-year, show-me deal. They probably would have liked a far more significant return. In the end, they settled for what they could get.
Predators grade: B
Coyotes grade: C-
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NHL trade grades: Predators land Jason Zucker from Coyotes at a bargain price
Kyle Okposo adds depth to Panthers’ bottom six
Panthers get: Right wing Kyle Okposo.
Sabres get: Defenseman Calle Sjalin, conditional seventh-round pick in 2024.
The Panthers are already stacked with offensive talent at the top of their lineup. What this team needed at the deadline was some forward depth. Vladimir Tarasenko added that to the top six, and now Okposo brings some reinforcements to the bottom six. The veteran forward is reliable defensively, and someone Florida can count on to be a forechecker, which should fit right in on the Panthers.
Panthers grade: A-
Sabres grade: B
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NHL trade grade: Kyle Okposo adds depth to Panthers' bottom six
Tyler Toffoli gives Jets a boost up front
Jets get: Forward Tyler Toffoli.
Devils get: 2025 second-round pick, 2024 third-round pick.
The Jets took another big swing Friday morning, adding Toffoli from New Jersey at a very attractive price. Someone of Toffoli’s caliber feels right to round out the top six and make the Jets’ forward group a lot deeper. He will boost the team’s offensive creation both at even strength and especially on the power play where there is a lot of room for improvement. To get Toffoli at his best, it would help to pair him with a slick puck-mover — maybe a dual-threat like Nikolaj Ehlers could be the best fit.
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The Devils are in a tricky position right now, because they aren’t entirely out of the playoff picture. But considering how disappointing this season has been, it makes all the sense in the world to move on from the pending unrestricted free agent to recoup assets.
Jets grade: A
Devils grade: B
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NHL trade grades: Tyler Toffoli gives Winnipeg Jets a boost up front
Evgeny Kuznetsov is an off-brand fit but worthwhile risk for Hurricanes
Hurricanes get: Center Evgeny Kuznetsov. Capitals retain 50 percent of salary.
Capitals: Third-round pick in 2025.
The hope for Carolina, clearly, is that Kuznetsov rebounds enough to bring a reliable amount of skill to their center depth chart. They’d settle for the version Washington saw last year, when he put up 55 points and created plenty of scoring chances. The fit is odd and off-brand, especially for a team that plays such an identifiable brand of hockey, but it’s a worthwhile risk.
Washington did well to get a positive value asset for even half the contract. The relationship, great as it was at times, had run its course.
Hurricanes grade: B
Capitals: A
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NHL trade grades: Evgeny Kuznetsov is an off-brand fit but worthwhile risk for Hurricanes
Jake Guentzel deal is a clean sweep for the Hurricanes
Hurricanes get: Forward Jake Guentzel, defenseman Ty Smith.
Penguins get: Conditional 2024 first-round draft pick, conditional 2024 fifth-round draft pick, forwards Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Vasily Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius.
An enormous coup for the Hurricanes and a trade that could tilt the balance of power in the Eastern Conference, if not in the league. Guentzel is that good. He’s going to fit in with the Hurricanes that well. And Carolina needed a player like him — for his brain, yeah, but also his elite point-production — that badly. He’ll help on the power play, too
For the Penguins, the return feels light. Bunting is a top-nine forward with pros and cons. It’s three decent-but-not-great forward prospects, but I’ll say this: Pittsburgh’s prospect pool was shallow and short.
Hurricanes grade: A
Penguins grade: C-
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NHL trade grades: Jake Guentzel deal is a clean sweep for the Hurricanes
Anthony Duclair gives Lightning a middle-six boost
Lightning get: Forward Anthony Duclair, seventh-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Sharks get: Defenseman Jack Thompson, third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Duclair pulled his season together just in time, scoring five goals times in his final four games with the Sharks and showing the speed and finishing ability that had periodically popped in his first eight NHL seasons. Now, he gets to chase a Cup instead of playing out the string.
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For San Jose, the return is solid enough. Thompson is a scratch-off ticket, and third-round picks have value.
Lightning grade: B-
Sharks grade: B-
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NHL trade grades: Duclair gives Lightning a middle-six boost
Brandon Duhaime is a perfect fit for the Avalanche’s fourth line
Avalanche get: Right wing Brandon Duhaime.
Wild get: Third-round pick in 2026.
Remember how important Vegas’s fourth liners were last season when the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup? Brandon Duhaime fits that role for an Avalanche team looking to do the same this year. Duhaime is a massive upgrade on the fourth line. He’s a 6-foot-2, 200-pounder, who skates reasonably well for a big man which allows him to get in on the forecheck and force defensemen to make plays, sometimes more quickly and less efficiently than they want. The return represents fair value for both teams.
Avalanche grade: A
Wild grade: B
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NHL trade grades: Brandon Duhaime is a perfect fit for the Avalanche's fourth line
Troy Stecher gives Oilers a determined defenseman at a low cost
Oilers get: Defenseman Troy Stecher, seventh-round draft pick.
Coyotes get: Fourth-round draft pick.
Stetcher isn’t going to displace any of their current top-six defensemen, but is well equipped to be the seventh defenseman on the roster and able to step in, if needed. He relies on positioning to box out bigger forwards and sometimes ends up mismatched physically. But he plays a determined style, and this won’t be his first rodeo as a rental. This was a smaller swing, but it also came at a far lower price, too. It’s a respectable pick-up.
Oilers grade: B
Coyotes grade: B-
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NHL trade grades: Troy Stecher gives Oilers a determined defenseman at a low cost
Joel Edmundson is potentially a huge downgrade for Maple Leafs
Maple Leafs get: Defenseman Joel Edmundson (Capitals retain 50 percent of salary).
Capitals get: Third-round pick in 2024 (from NYI), fifth-round pick in 2025 (from CHI).
Edmundson immediately becomes Toronto’s biggest and nastiest defenseman, a sorely missing element in the team’s game. He’s also a pretty solid penalty-killer which is a fairly pressing need for the Maple Leafs this season. But there’s more to playoff hockey than big, mean defensemen — especially if that defenseman has lost a step in his effectiveness. This isn’t 2021 anymore.
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The Leafs didn’t pay a whole lot to get bigger, but they did pay a premium on the on-ice value Edmundson likely brings. Just as they did for Ilya Lyubushkin. Those deals add up for a team that doesn’t have a lot of ammo. Kudos to Washington for capitalizing on the price tag these types of players often warrant.
Leafs grade if Edmundson replaces Benoit: C+
Leafs grade if Edmundson replaces Liljegren: D-
Capitals grade: B
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NHL trade grades: Joel Edmundson is potentially a huge downgrade for Maple Leafs
Vegas clear winner in Noah Hanifin deal with Calgary
Golden Knights get: Defenseman Noah Hanifin.
Flames get: Defenseman Daniil Miromanov, Vegas’ 2025 or 2026 first-round pick and conditional 2025 third-round pick (also retain 50 percent of Hanifin’s salary)
Flyers: Vegas’ 2024 fifth-round pick (for retaining 25 percent of Hanifin’s salary)
In Hanifin, Vegas gets a fringe No. 1 guy in the midst of his best season as a point producer (11 goals, 35 points), and with a solid track record of being pretty good at, basically, everything. He’s only 27. Hanifin is a particularly interesting fit on the Golden Knights, whose two best defensemen (Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore) both play on the right side. That makes the left-handed Hanifin a bit more valuable to Vegas than the NHL at large.
For Calgary GM Craig Conroy, the first-round pick is the prize — and a step up from the Chris Tanev return. Accepting any less, even when considering Hanifin’s considerable leverage, would’ve been a bitter pill.
Golden Knights grade: A
Flames grade: C
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NHL trade grades: Vegas clear winner in Noah Hanifin deal with Calgary
Rangers fill a need by getting Alex Wennberg from Kraken
Rangers get: Center Alex Wennberg (Kraken retain 50 of salary).
Kraken get: Second-round pick in 2024, conditional fourth-round pick in 2025.
The Rangers entered trade season with two clear needs up front: A third-line center and a top-six right-winger. Wennberg is a very solid option to check off the former. With the Rangers, Wennberg will likely be deployed strictly in a third-line capacity to help deepen the forward group. He is someone who can be counted on to take on top competition, which should help free up Mika Zibanejad a bit more, and alleviate a fourth line that has been over-leveraged at times this year.
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For the Kraken, moving Wennberg ensures a return on a pending unrestricted free agent, especially if management knew he was not going to extend there.
Rangers grade: B
Kraken grade: B+
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NHL trade grades: Rangers fill a need by getting Alex Wennberg from Kraken
Adam Henrique helps the Oilers line up their forwards for playoff run
Oilers get: Forward Adam Henrique, forward Sam Carrick, Ducks’ 2024 seventh-round draft pick, goalie Ty Taylor.
Ducks get: Oilers’ 2024 first-round draft pick, Oilers 2025 conditional fifth-round draft pick, (retain 50 percent of salary on Henrique and Carrick).
Lightning get: Oilers’ 2024 fourth-round draft pick (retain 25 percent of salary on Henrique and Carrick).
At this point in his career, Henrique is more of a passenger on a line than a driver. That’s fine because that’s all the Oilers should need at this point. If anything, he is a very solid option to round out their top-nine forward group. Henrique doesn’t really stand out in just one area, instead adding a solid effectiveness all-around. And he adds some lineup flexibility with his ability to slot down the middle or on the wing. Sam Carrick bolsters the team’s bottom six, lessening the chance of the team needing to go 11 forwards and seven defenders down the stretch, as they did last year.
As for the Ducks, this all checks out — a first-round pick for a pending UFA is a good bit of business.
Oilers grade: A-
Ducks grade: B+
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NHL trade grades: Henrique helps the Oilers line up their forwards for playoff run
Bowen Byram for Casey Mittelstadt a fascinating swap
Sabres get: Defenseman Bowen Byram
Avalanche get: Center Casey Mittelstadt
The Avalanche had a gaping hole down the middle and with the rentals going off the board, they turned to Buffalo for Mittlestadt. On the one hand, it’s a bit of a risk. He has zero playoff experience in six seasons in the NHL. On the other hand, he’s 25 now, a player with a great draft pedigree, who finally had his breakthrough season a year ago (59 points in 82 games).
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As for the Sabres, they get a player who’s two years younger than Mittelstadt but came with a similarly great draft pedigree. Byram is in his fourth full NHL season, and he’s never played more games than the 55 he’s gotten into this year. Injuries, particularly concussions, have greatly undermined his development, though if he stays healthy, this is a swing worth taking by GM Kevyn Adams, who arguably is assembling one of the best young group of defensemen in the league.
Avalanche grade: A+
Sabres grade: B
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NHL trade grades: Bowen Byram for Casey Mittelstadt a fascinating swap
Flyers sending Sean Walker to Avalanche is a win for both teams
Avalanche get: Defenseman Sean Walker, 2026 fifth-round pick.
Flyers get: 2025 first-round pick, forward Ryan Johansen.
Walker is a great puck-mover, something the Avalanche covet from the back end. They love having a mobile blue line, and Walker should fit right in. Still, there are questions about Walker’s game regarding playoff hockey. It’s clear Walker fits Colorado’s identity, but there’s a degree of sameness to his game, including his smaller stature. At 5 feet 11 inches and 195 pounds, Walker isn’t exactly built like a prototypical playoff defenseman, and that could be a concern for Colorado’s blue line, which already wasn’t very big to begin with. If the Avalanche go deep, they go deep on the strength of their identity — it’s just an identity that does fly a bit against the current mold.
The Flyers get a guaranteed first out of the deal. That’s decent business for a team that’s doing right by its long-term vision and selling Walker at a high. This feels like a fair deal for both sides.
Avalanche grade: B
Flyers grade: B+
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NHL trade grades: Flyers sending Sean Walker to Avalanche is a win for both teams
Vladimir Tarasenko is a great get for the Panthers
Panthers get: Right winger Vladimir Tarasenko (Senators retain 50 percent of salary).
Senators get: Conditional fourth-round pick in 2024, third-round pick in 2025.
When the Panthers acquire a player, it’s fair to envision the best version of that player immediately coming to light. They know how to make different skills mesh perfectly to maximize a player’s full potential. Enter Vladimir Tarasenko, a flawed scorer who looks like the perfect player for Florida’s second line. What Tarasenko is, is a pure finisher who can put up numbers at five-on-five. That’s a huge addition for Matthew Tkachuk who has grown into one of the game’s very best play-makers.
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As for the Senators, the return is obviously not ideal. It would’ve been nice to at least get a second-rounder here, but trade protection and a crowded market meant a lower return.
Panthers grade: A+
Senators grade: C
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NHL trade grades: Vladimir Tarasenko is a great get for the Panthers
Anthony Mantha a shrewd pickup for Golden Knights
Golden Knights get: Forward Anthony Mantha.
Capitals get: 2024 second-round pick, 2026 fourth-round pick (also retain 50 percent of Mantha’s salary)
Anthony Mantha, after two-plus largely miserable seasons in Washington, has spent most of 2022-23 looking like the players the Capitals thought they were acquiring at the 2021 deadline. He’s enormous and skilled, which was never in doubt. He’s also healthy, which hadn’t been the case for a while. Mantha’s 1.49 goals per 60 is seventh in the NHL among regular players, and he’s already at the 20-goal mark for the first time since 2020-21. The possession numbers are there, too; the best of Washington’s forwards, actually. Mantha is carrying an expected goals percentage of about 57 and an actual goals percentage just a few ticks behind. That’s a player worth adding for any contender in search of some middle-six pop.
On the Caps’ side, the deal is … fine. Though you’d like to see 50 percent retention get a first-rounder from someone. An adequate return gets an adequate grade.
Golden Knights grade: B+
Capitals grade: C
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NHL trade grades: Anthony Mantha a shrewd pickup for Golden Knights
Ilya Lyubushkin brings familiarity and toughness to Maple Leafs’ blue line
Maple Leafs get: Defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin, rights to forward Kirill Slepets.
Ducks get: Maple Leafs’ third-round draft pick in 2025 (also retain 50 percent of Lyubushkin’s salary).
Hurricanes get: Maple Leafs’ sixth-round draft pick (for retaining 25 percent of Lyubushkin’s salary).
The Maple Leafs went bargain shopping for a familiar face, Anaheim’s Ilya Lyubushkin. He’s big and tough, and plays an uncomplicated brand of hockey. His best asset is his shot-blocking ability — he currently is 11th overall in the NHL with 138 blocked shots in 55 games. Injuries have left the Leafs’ defense a mess, and even when everybody is healthy, there’s a dire need for a right-hand shot, which is what Lyubushkin is.
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The price for Lyubushkin, a third to Anaheim and a sixth to Carolina for lowering the salary-cap cost to Toronto, is just about right: Mid-level compensation for a mid-level player.
Maple Leafs grade: B
Ducks grade: B
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NHL trade grades: Lyubushkin brings familiarity and toughness to Maple Leafs' blue line
Adding Chris Tanev is a slam dunk win for the Stars
Stars get: Defenseman Chris Tanev, goalie Cole Brady.
Flames get: Defenseman Artem Grushnikov, Stars’ 2024 second-round pick, conditional third-round pick in 2026.
Devils get: Stars’ 2026 fourth-round pick for retaining 50 percent of Tanev’s salary.
This is an absolute slam dunk win for the Stars. Dallas had one clear need heading into the deadline: A steady, right-handed defenseman. Tanev’s offense has trended down this year, but he isn’t completely one-dimensional. For as traditional of a shutdown style as he plays, he also thrives at retrieving pucks and getting it out of his own zone with control, which should help clean up the Stars’ breakouts.
On the flip side, this is a real disappointment for Calgary. There was a lot of league-wide interest in Tanev — so how is this the best return for the Flames, especially with 50 percent salary retention? There are interesting elements to Artem Grushnikov’s game, but Calgary should have looked for someone with more certainty and upside without a first-round pick in the return.
Stars grade: A
Flames grade: D
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NHL trade grades: Adding Chris Tanev is a slam dunk win for the Stars
Sean Monahan nets Canadiens a first-round draft pick from Jets
Jets get: F Sean Monahan.
Canadiens get: 2024 first-round draft pick and conditional 2027 third-round draft pick.
Nobody should be surprised that Sean Monahan netted the Canadiens a first-round pick. We’ve been building to this sort of return on the 29-year-old for a while now. This isn’t a loss, necessarily, for Winnipeg and GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. Monahan brings size and skill to the Jets’ middle six and gives them another power-play option. Rental centers are valuable at every deadline, and seemingly more so at this one.
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As for the Canadiens? No notes. They got a first-rounder from Calgary as a sweetener for taking on Monahan’s contract, stuck with him through last season’s injury and gave him an opportunity to produce at a level that’d net them another first-rounder.
Jets grade: C+
Canadiens grade: A+
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NHL trade grades: Sean Monahan nets Canadiens a first-round draft pick from Jets
Canucks make big splash with Elias Lindholm addition
Canucks get: F Elias Lindholm.
Flames get: F Andrei Kuzmenko, a 2024 first-round pick, D Hunter Brzustewicz, D Joni Jurmo and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick.
If Lindholm was the top center in the marketplace this year, then the Canucks landed him, five weeks ahead of the NHL trade deadline, without giving up a contributing player on the roster. Lindholm adds an element to a Vancouver team that it can use if not desperately need. Someone who can play in the top nine and has the versatility, if necessary, to shift to the right wing, which is where his Calgary career began. For Vancouver, it’s a clear signal that the Canucks believe this year’s surge is no fluke and that their chances of making some playoff noise are as good as anyone else’s.
Calgary did well too. A first-rounder in 2024. A conditional fourth-rounder in 2024. Plus, two prospects, both of them intriguing, probably Brzustewicz more so than Jurmo, and then Kuzmenko, the most visible and thus known product, who is suffering through a mediocre second NHL season after a very good NHL debut.
Canucks grade: B
Flames grade: B
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NHL trade grades: Canucks make big splash with Elias Lindholm addition
(Top photo of Connor Dewar: Nick Wosika / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)