Why the Calgary Flames decided it was time to trade Elias Lindholm

Elias Lindholm’s situation was always going to be the biggest domino to fall this season for the Calgary Flames. It’s easy to declare that a trade of this magnitude is a sign of an oncoming rebuild or retool, even if the Flames won’t publicly wave that flag just yet.

But while Craig Conroy believes Calgary can “continue to win” with the players it still has, the Flames GM did acknowledge that recent performances and the long-term injury to forward A.J. Greer helped force his hand in trading Lindholm on Wednesday.

“The start of the season wasn’t the way we wanted,” Conroy told The Athletic. “It put us in a hole. We had to battle ourselves back. And then obviously, the four (losses). That was disappointing, and that’s maybe a little bit of what led to this. To be honest, this might have sped up my thought process a little bit.”

So, Conroy and his staff got to work on a trade during the team’s All-Star break. Lindholm is headed to Vancouver for forward Andrei Kuzmenko, two defensive prospects in Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo, a 2024 first-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick that will turn into a third if the Canucks reach the Western Conference final later this spring.

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Canucks acquire Lindholm from Flames for Kuzmenko

“I had a goal set for myself with what I thought the return should be,” Conroy said. “I felt like, in this deal, it made the most sense, and it was the one that, you know, really probably helps us the best moving forward.”

In September, Lindholm stood in front of Calgary media and expressed that he had been “pretty clear” about wanting to stay with the Flames. But the longer he remained without a deal beyond this season, the more inevitable his eventual departure felt.

It was enough of a risk having him play out the final year of his deal given how that had gone before with high-profile pending UFAs. But rather than explode in a contract year to the point he’d probably be too expensive to retain, it looked like Lindholm’s trade value might be trending down and limiting Calgary’s potential return. Lindholm’s now final goal as a Flame in a 1-0 win over Chicago last Saturday was his first goal in 16 games.

Not only have the Flames found a new home for the Swedish centre, but they came away with a sizeable haul from a division rival.

Once it appeared Lindholm wasn’t prepared to re-sign at the moment — Conroy declined to reveal the specific contract numbers he offered Lindholm in recent negotiations — the Flames turned their efforts to move him. “More than five” teams were interested in Lindholm, according to Conroy. But the Canucks were the most aggressive of all teams interested. Conroy’s first ask for Lindholm was for a prospect, a first-round pick and a roster player, using last year’s Bo Horvat and Ryan O’Reilly trades as guides.

“We really wanted Elias to be a Calgary Flame,” Conroy said. “So we went with a fair offer. We didn’t want to come with an offer just to get it started. We wanted to come with a fair offer that we thought was market value for everybody. So, then (Lindholm’s camp) came back with what they wanted. And then we came, we made one more offer.

“We felt like that number was very fair. Obviously, he had another number that he likes. So, you know, that was kind of it. I felt like I had a number in my head that I could not move on.”

Lindholm was on his way to Toronto on Wednesday as the Flames’ sole All-Star. After the trade, Calgary won’t have a rep and Lindholm will join five other Canucks for the weekend’s festivities at Scotiabank Arena.

“I know people will say, ‘Well, (you’re) trading within your division,’” Conroy said. “I have to do what’s best for the team. And I thought this was the best thing for the team moving forward.”

In particular, Conroy was enamoured with Brzustewicz’s skill set: A right-shot defenceman with “real high hockey sense” putting up points in the Ontario Hockey League. Jurmo has been praised for his skating ability, but Conroy envisions him as a shutdown defenceman.“To add a couple of those young prospects into your mix, I think (is) what was important for us, especially where we’re going,” Conroy said. “We haven’t drafted a lot of D over the years.”

At 22-22-5, the Flames are five points out of a playoff spot. Kuzmenko, who scored 39 goals for Vancouver last season but has struggled in 2023-24, should get a prime offensive assignment.

“We got to see him a lot last year when he was in Vancouver, and we’ve seen him this year,” Conroy said. “Whether it’s in the shootout against us or the goals he scored, his skill set, what he brings on the power play and in the offensive zone and his shot are attractive.”

And with Jakob Pelletier and Kevin Rooney approaching their returns from injury and Martin Pospisil already off injured reserve, Calgary will have a few more reinforcements on the way.

Rooney wasn’t impressive in 17 NHL games last season, but he may get a chance as a temporary stopgap at centre. Cole Schwindt could return from the AHL Wrangley and help fill out the team’s centre depth, too. Meanwhile, Pelletier and Pospisil could form part of a new-look fourth line.

There will definitely be a big hole at the top of the lineup, though. Without Lindholm, Conroy expects Mikael Backlund and Nazem Kadri to spearhead Calgary’s charge.

“Those two guys are going to step up and they’re going to rise,” Conroy said about the team’s remaining top two centres. “It’s a huge hole. But I think with those two guys, that gives opportunity to other people. Everybody’s on vacation around here, but we’re gonna sit down and have a good conversation.”

Conroy still has much more to deal with ahead of the March 8 trade deadline. Notably, the futures of pending unrestricted free agents Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev remain uncertain. The Lindholm trade could just be the first in a series of deals where the organization truly indicates its intentions with the direction of the roster.

(Top photo of Jacob Markström, Andrei Kuzmenko and Elias Lindholm: Derek Cain / Getty Images)