the transaction
acquired by Dallas Stars: Defenseman Chris Tanev, Goaltender Cole Brady.
Acquired by Calgary Flames: Defenseman Artem Grushnikov, Stars’ 2024 second-round pick, 2026 conditional third-round pick.
Acquired by New Jersey Devils: The Stars’ 2026 fourth-round pick to retain 50 percent of Tanev’s salary.
Sean Gentile: Generally speaking, this didn’t seem like a bad deal for the Flames. At least not at first. What about the candidates and prospects? of course. That’s the typical price for a player like Chris Tanev. Seasoned, battle-tested, right-handed, older but not exactly old, and a pending UFA. That way you get something good, if not great.
But with each piece of information, the deal got a little bit worse on Calgary’s side. Is the best pick a second round pick? got it. The prospects aren’t Logan Stankoven or Mavrik Burke. Hmm. I don’t really like it. Will the Flames keep 50 percent of Tanev’s salary? Now we’re in the realm of “definite winners, definite losers.”
It’s not a disaster for Flames GM Craig Conroy. But it’s certainly a disappointment. Tanev is more than just good. He’s the type of player that candidates will be keeping an eye on for all of the reasons listed above. The fact that Conroy had to add sweetener and still didn’t get a first round or better prospect is strange. Artem Grushnikov was ranked No. 10 on Scott Wheeler’s Stars prospect rankings earlier this month and was in Corey Pronman’s “opportunity” tier before the season. Pronman said he’s a big guy and a good skater, but his offensive game is limited.
Tanev has a long injury history, and the teams that could have most used him, such as Vancouver or Toronto, probably wouldn’t have been Conroy’s preferred dance partner. All must be considered. But accepting something like a premium asset minimum nine days before the deadline seems like a rookie mistake.
On Star’s side, it’s all love. GM Jim Nill had little cap space to address the glaring hole on the right side of the defense, so he used it as the best option on the market. Involving teams from Eastern’s conference led to even more creativity. If Tanev’s shoulder holds up, it would give them the perfect option to play behind Miro Heiskanen. Tanev is a shutdown defenseman who specializes in puck retrieval and will play major minutes. Whether he takes a step back offensively is of little consequence. Stars get a lot of it elsewhere. They’re preparing for a Stanley Cup run, and they’re doing it the right way with an OGWAC that can actually play.
star grade:A+
flame grade😀
Shayna Goldman: This is a complete slam dunk win for the Stars. Dallas had one clear need heading into the deadline. It’s a solid right-handed defenseman. That was the case before Nils Lundqvist’s injury. This was the only area where the team fell short when measuring them on the Stanley Cup Checklist. Now, along with Tanev, he will be slotted in as the team’s No. 3, with the rest of the blue line being moved into more suitable roles behind him.
With Thomas Hurley on the top pair, the Stars’ defense is a bit top-loaded. So this addition changes the situation – whether he slots in behind that pair and forms a shutdown pair with Esa Lindell at second, or whether Hurley or Miro Heiskanen for a more balanced approach. Will I be skating alongside him? Either way, this gives the Stars more protection for their bottom pair.
Tanev’s offense has been on the decline this year, but it’s not completely one-dimensional. Playing in a traditional shutdown style, he is also adept at retrieving and controlling the puck to get it out of his own zone, which should help wipe out the Stars’ breakout. His style of play comes with an injury risk, which will likely affect the development of his game going forward. So the fact that the Stars still brought him in without any future commitments is a plus.
This slightly more aggressive approach will also benefit the Stars. Adding him for potentially four additional games, rather than waiting until deadline day, should help the Central in its fight for first place.
On the flip side, this is a real shame for Calgary. This wasn’t resolved by deadline day, and the Flames had to settle because they didn’t have any better options. He has over a week until the deadline, which should have been enough time to improve his eligibility for Calgary.There was a lot of interest in Tanev from around the league, but what next? this Is it in the best interest for the Flames, especially with a 50% salary retention rate? Artem Grushnikov’s game has an interesting element, but Calgary has more certainty without a first-round pick in return They should have looked for a player with character and turnaround. The only win for the Flames is that management knows what needs to be done and doesn’t risk letting a pending UFA walk for free for one more run.
Star grade: a
Flame grade: D
(Photo: Sergei Belski / USA Today)