Chris Tanev Traded to Stars; Flames Receive Artem Grushnikov, 2 NHL Draft Picks

The Calgary Flames continue the offloading of talent ahead of the NHL’s March 8 trade deadline.

Calgary is trading defenseman Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars in exchange for defenseman Artem Grushnikov, a 2024 second-round pick and a 2026 conditional third-round pick, the franchise announced Wednesday.

Tanev is the second Flames player to be traded this season as the franchise presses the reset button on its roster, joining Elias Lindholm, who was traded to the Vancouver Canucks earlier this month.

Tanev was among one of the hottest names on the trade market as he’s on an expiring contract and is a reliable veteran defenseman with 14 NHL seasons under his belt. He’s in the final season of a four-year, $18 million deal with a $4.5 million cap hit.

The 34-year-old has notched one goal and 13 assists in 56 games this season and boasts a plus-16 rating.

Tanev joins a Dallas defense highlighted by Miro Heiskanen, Esa Lindell, Thomas Harley and Ryan Suter. The Stars had an opening to fill on the blue line with recent injuries to Jani Hakanpää and Nils Lundkvist.

The Toronto native is going from a team in Calgary that could miss the playoffs to a team in Dallas that is fighting for the top spot in the Central Division with the Winnipeg Jets. The Stars sit second in the division with a 35-17-9 record.

As for the Flames, they’re getting a talented young defenseman in Grushnikov, who was selected by the Stars in the second round of the 2021 draft. He has appeared in 44 games for the AHL’s Texas Stars this season, notching one goal and five assists to go along with a plus-three rating.

Flames general manager Craig Conroy said in a statement:

“Artem is a player our organization has identified, for some time now, as being a strong addition to our prospects pool. As a 20-year-old he is having a solid season in the American Hockey League. He is best described as a young defensive defenceman, a good penalty killer who understands the importance of this role and plays to his identity. We are excited to acquire a player with Artem’s qualities and look forward to his contributions to the Flames success for a long time. We have also been able to secure another second round draft pick in 2024, and the potential for a third round selection in 2026.”

With Tanev and Lindholm offloaded, it’s possible the Flames will continue to make deals before the trade deadline. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom and defenseman Noah Hanifin have been rumored as top trade candidates in Calgary.