Five questions on the Flames trading away Chris Tanev

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Possibly it is going to be a quiet commerce deadline day for the Calgary Flames.

Normal supervisor Craig Conroy has proven repeatedly that when the proper deal is on the market, he’s not going to attend to tug the set off.

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After dealing away Tyler Toffoli within the low season after which Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm over the previous couple of months, Conroy traded one other of his 2024 unrestricted free-agent-to-be in Chris Tanev on Wednesday night, dealing the rugged d-man to the Dallas Stars.

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In return, the Flames obtained younger blueliner Artem Grushnikov, a second-round choose within the 2024 draft and a conditional choose in 2026.

What do that you must know concerning the deal? Right here’s 5 questions — and makes an attempt at solutions — that we hope will assist:

1. WHAT ARE THE BASICS HERE? WHO IS GRUSHNIKOV?

OK, right here’s the rundown: Grushnikov is a 6-foot-2, left-shot defenceman who weighs in at 194 lbs.

He’s 20 years previous, turning 21 on March 20, and was chosen within the second spherical, 48^th total, of the 2021 NHL draft by the Stars.

He’s a defensive defenceman, within the purest sense of the time period, and his offensive numbers don’t essentially leap out at you — he has a purpose and 4 assists in 44 video games within the AHL this 12 months — however Conroy sees Grushnikov as a participant who may develop right into a Tanev-type down the road.

He has a profitable pedigree, too, having been a part of the Hamilton Bulldogs staff that gained the OHL championship in 2022 and superior to the Memorial Cup remaining.

2. WHEN SHOULD WE EXPECT TO SEE HIM PLAY?

The straightforward reply right here is followers ought to be capable of go get a take a look at Grushnikov enjoying for the Calgary Wranglers any time as soon as he will get settled in and it shouldn’t be lengthy.

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However, as for when the 20-year-old would possibly play for the Flames, Conroy didn’t rule out the chance that we’d see him with a Flaming ‘C’ on his chest this season, although it doesn’t sound like that’s essentially the plan.

“I by no means need to say by no means, however we simply need to be sure we don’t rush him and we do what’s proper for his improvement,” Conroy stated.

Realistically, this will likely require a little bit little bit of persistence.

Most defencemen aren’t able to be full-time NHL contributors at 20. Rasmus Andersson, simply to make use of an instance, didn’t make his debut till he was 21 years previous and wasn’t a full-time NHLer till he was 22.

Grushnikov can be given time to develop and enhance. That’s the perfect factor for him.

3. WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN FOR THE FLAMES’ CURRENT BATCH OF BLUELINERS?

We’re not going to sit down right here and faux this commerce doesn’t make the Flames a worse staff. It does. You don’t simply change a gutsy, tough-as-nails defenceman like Chris Tanev. He’s an enormous loss.

And we’ll get to Noah Hanifin in a second, however assuming Conroy offers him away within the subsequent eight days, the Flames could have misplaced two of their prime 4 defencemen.

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With the way in which he has been enjoying since his return, Oliver Kylington is definitely going to need to tackle a much bigger function and play extra minutes, and his partnership with Brayden Pachal — acquired on waivers a couple of weeks in the past — has appeared fairly stable to this point.

Whereas they haven’t performed because the all-star break, Dennis Gilbert has skated in 31 video games for the Flames and Jordan Oesterle has made 21 appearances. They’re each choices, and we might very properly see extra of Yan Kuznetsov and Ilya Solovyov, each of whom have had productive seasons with the Wranglers.

4. THIS MEANS HANIFIN IS GONE, RIGHT?

I imply, the writing has been on the wall for some time on this one. The Flames aren’t going to lose Hanifin for nothing and, if he hasn’t re-signed by now, there’s no motive to imagine he’ll accomplish that earlier than he turns into an unrestricted free agent in July.

So yeah, the 27-year-old is nearly actually going to be dealt earlier than the March 8 deadline.

His age and 659 video games of NHL expertise ought to make Hanifin very engaging for commerce companions, so it’s going to be fascinating to see what kind of return Conroy can get for him.

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It stinks that the Flames can be shedding two necessary items proper as they’re enjoying their greatest hockey, however there’s merely no argument for retaining them round and shedding them for nothing in the summertime.

Conroy realized that lesson when former GM Brad Treliving gambled on getting Johnny Gaudreau re-signed after which misplaced him and he has no intention of constructing the identical expensive mistake with Hanifin.

Probably the most fascinating query can be what Conroy can get in return. He already has 5 picks within the first three rounds of the draft. Does he need extra? Or may he package deal one or two of these to get one thing spicy in return? Don’t rule it out.

5. IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR THIS SEASON?

Have you ever watched this staff? They appear to find it irresistible when individuals begin writing them off. It brings out the perfect in them.

Conroy traded Zadorov to the Vancouver Canucks on Dec. 3 and the Flames have gone 19-14-2 within the time since that deal.

They despatched Lindholm to the Canucks in the course of the all-star break and have gone 7-3 since, together with their present four-game profitable streak towards groups in playoff positions.

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Might there be a breaking level? After all and possibly that’s dealing away Tanev. Possibly it’ll come after they deal Hanifin. You’ll be able to solely lose so many good gamers earlier than the on-ice product begins to endure.

But when Jacob Markstrom remains to be round between the pipes and is enjoying the way in which he does, that’s going to provide the Flames an opportunity in most video games.

They’ve confirmed they will rating just lately, too, and a wild-card spot is inside putting distance.

There’s no motive to imagine the fellows within the locker room are able to throw within the towel. They’ve confirmed they’re up for the battle.

daustin@postmedia.com

www.twitter.com/DannyAustin_9

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