Flames trade Tanev to Stars in 3-team swap

The Calgary Flames traded defenseman Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick, a 2026 conditional third-round pick, and defense prospect Artem Grushnikov, the teams announced Wednesday.

The Flames are retaining 50% of Tanev's $4.5-million cap hit. The New Jersey Devils are also involved in the deal and are retaining a further 25% of Tanev's salary. The Devils were given the Stars' 2026 fourth-rounder in exchange, while Dallas received the rights to goaltender Cole Brady.

As a result of the retention, Tanev only carries a cap hit of $1.125 million for the Stars this season.

If the Stars advance to the Stanley Cup Final in 2024, the Flames will receive Dallas' third-rounder in 2026. If Dallas doesn't win three rounds this spring, then no additional pick will be sent to Calgary.

"We just felt at this point in time, this was the right deal for us," Flames general manager Craig Conroy said.

He added, "The team's been playing really hard lately, so it's exciting just to kind of see where we're going. ... Someone else is going to get an opportunity. Chris is a big loss, but that's ice time for someone else."

Tanev can become an unrestricted free agent this summer. A coveted right-handed shot, the veteran has chipped in with one goal and 14 points in 56 games this season while averaging just under 20 minutes of ice time per contest.

The 34-year-old also ranks second in the league with 171 blocks.

"We are fortunate to have the opportunity to add a player of Chris' caliber to our team," Stars general manager Jim Nill said in a statement. "He is a proven defenseman with postseason experience that is comfortable in all situations on the ice. Chris is one of the best penalty killers in the NHL and will be a tremendous asset to our special teams play."

Tanev led Calgary in shorthanded ice time per game (2:36) this campaign.

The Devils selected Brady in the fifth round of the 2019 NHL Draft. The 23-year-old has spent the last two seasons at the University of Massachusetts. Brady owns an .886 save percentage in nine appearances this campaign.

Grushnikov, meanwhile, was drafted by the Stars in the second round in 2021. The 20-year-old blue-liner has one goal and five points in 44 AHL games this season.

The Flames have been busy on the trade market this season. Conroy shipped out Nikita Zadorov to the Canucks in November, and Elias Lindholm joined his teammate in Vancouver a little over two months later.

The Stars have once again been one of the Central's top squads this season. They currently sit in second place in the division with a 35-17-9 record.

There may be more decisions to come for the Flames, who own other hot deadline targets like goaltender Jacob Markstrom and pending unrestricted free-agent rearguard Noah Hanifin. Calgary currently sits five points out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.