Elias Lindholm is the first domino to fall for the Calgary Flames

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When the Flames misplaced 4 of their last 5 video games heading into the all-star break, the potential of the membership making the playoffs sank, spiking their curiosity in initiating the inevitable free-agent sell-off.

The one query that remained was who would get traded first.

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Elias Lindholm was roundly thought of one of the best rental ahead obtainable, so it’s hardly a shock that he can be the primary to go earlier than the March 8 deadline.

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What’s shocking, although, is the spectacular return Craig Conroy was capable of extract from Patrik Alvin of the Vancouver Canucks.

Along with a first-round choose and a conditional fourth-round choose, Calgary additionally garnered Andrei Kuzmenko and defensive prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo.

Though the main target for many sellers on the deadline is first-round picks, the keys to this deal could be Kuzmenko and Brzustewicz.

The previous is an undrafted 27-year previous NHL sophomore who spent his formative seasons scoring within the KHL earlier than being signed by the Canucks. He gathered an astonishing 39 targets in his rookie season final yr, co-leading the workforce with Elias Pettersson.

This yr, nevertheless, his uncanny capturing share fell from 27% to 12% and, with it, his aim complete down from 39 to only eight by 43 video games. With a $5.5-million cap hit that follows by subsequent yr, Kuzmenko abruptly turned a cap-dump candidate regardless of practically marking 40 targets lower than 12 months in the past.

Kuzmenko is a somewhat-flawed, one-dimensional (however proficient) offensive participant. His skating isn’t superb and he in all probability won’t ever replicate the 27% capturing price that propelled his early success.

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Nonetheless, he’s each a short-term, stopgap participant for subsequent yr in addition to a buy-low, sell-high alternative for Calgary as they enter a rebuild.

If Ryan Huska can rehabilitate Kuzmenko’s repute and get him again to a 20+ goal-scoring tempo subsequent season, the membership might be able to “double-dip” on the Lindholm commerce by flipping Kuzmenko on the deadline in 2025.

Essentially the most intriguing participant within the package deal, although, is right-handed OHL defender Brzustewicz.

A 3rd-round choose by Vancouver in 2023, the American-born 19-year-old is having one of the vital spectacular offensive seasons by a junior blueliner in current reminiscence. By means of 47 video games with the Kitchener Rangers, Brzustewicz has scored eight targets and 69 factors to steer his workforce (and, the truth is, all CHL defencemen) in scoring.

The newest Flames defensive prospect to provide at comparable degree was Adam Fox, who was a better-than-point-per-game faculty for Harvard.

Fox famously refused to signal with the Flames and was dealt as a part of the Dougie Hamilton commerce that noticed Lindholm and Noah Hanifin come to Calgary. Fox immediately stepped into the NHL as a top-pairing participant straight out of faculty and has since established himself as a star within the league.

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There isn’t any assure one thing like that can occur once more, in fact, however Brzustewicz immediately turns into one in every of Calgary’s greatest prospects given his degree of manufacturing. He joins different defensive puck movers Jeremie Poirier and Etienne Morin within the Flames system because the group begins to stockpile future property throughout this transitional interval.

The chance to maneuver Kuzmenko subsequent yr means the workforce might extract as much as three premium property from the Lindholm rental if you depend Brzustewicz and Vancouver’s first-rounder.

Maybe extra importantly, transferring early on the commerce deadline has allowed the Flames to get forward of the frenzy and set the market.

Fairly than reacting late within the season after which scrambling to concurrently parlay all of his commerce property directly, Conroy’s early strike will assist to unfreeze the commerce gridlock whereas giving him the higher a part of a month to determine a aggressive public sale for guys like Chris Tanev, Noah Hanifin, and (perhaps) Jacob Markstrom.

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Vancouver aggressively putting the primary blow amongst the formidable Cup contenders might improve the perceived urgency to enhance. And the Flames nonetheless possess a few of the prime commerce targets within the league, with loads of time and alternative to maximise the return for every.

Calgary’s playoff aspirations for this season could also be gone, however the Lindholm commerce signifies the workforce shouldn’t be shy about leveraging their pending free brokers.

It stays to be seen if Conroy can duplicate this degree of return earlier than the deadline, however this preliminary effort ought to give followers hope the Flames will enter the low season will a bevy of latest future property and a contemporary path charted for the group

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