It’s officially the first anniversary of the trade in which the Calgary Flames dealt Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars in exchange for prospect Artem Grushnikov, a 2024 second-round pick, and a 2026 conditional third-round pick.
Tanev was a pending UFA and was part of a huge sell-off facilitated by rookie GM Craig Conroy. While the Flames made some attempts at signing Tanev to an extension, the team ultimately elected to trade him near the deadline.
Let’s look at how the trade aged for both teams a year later:
For the Dallas Stars
The Stars would only keep Tanev as a rental, but he proved to be a worthy investment. In 19 games, he scored a goal and 5 points, averaging a +6 rating. He would also play in the majority of their playoff games, notching two assists and averaging a +7 rating.
While the plus-minus stat is controversial among hockey fans, it just shows how defensively responsible Tanev is. As a defensive specialist, he isn’t afraid to do the dirty work and will put his body on the line, making him a well-known shot blocker. While he wouldn’t end up staying in Dallas, you’re making this trade all day if you’re the Stars, as adding a right-shot defender like Tanev into your top-four is a no-brainer for a contending team.
The Stars ended up trading Tanev’s UFA rights to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a seventh-round pick and prospect Max Ellis. Currently, Tanev is yet again having a great season with the Leafs, recording 17 points and a +26 rating while staying healthy despite his well-known playing style.
For the Calgary Flames
Tanev was a fan favourite in Calgary and he remains one of the best free-agency pickups by the Flames in recent memory. Tanev played a total of 259 career games in Calgary, and while his departure stung, it was the best thing to do for the team’s future.
As for the return the Flames got for him, it had mixed reactions. Many fans were pleased with getting a second and a prospect in return for a 33-year-old, while others expected at least a first. Basically, lots of people were either underwhelmed or just whelmed. Either way, getting the assets the Flames got for him beats losing a player like Tanev for nothing in free agency.
Regarding the assets, the Flames ended up not receiving the third-round pick as the conditions on it weren’t met. As for Grushnikov, he was the main part of the return and remains as an intriguing young defenceman within the Flames’ pipeline. He’s more defensively minded, so his numbers won’t pop out at you, but he has the potential to be another young option for the Flames in the near future. He’s been solid for the Wranglers this year, and only time will tell if his development takes him far enough to earn some NHL looks.
As for the second-round pick, the Flames used it to select center Jacob Battaglia 62nd overall during the 2024 draft. In a draft where the Flames scored high marks, Battaglia has immense potential and he’s been dominating with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs this season. With his 33 goals and 77 points in 57 games, The Flames must be pretty happy with his growth so far, and he could very likely be a steal if he continues on the path he’s on.
Overall thoughts
Looking at this trade a year later, it’s safe to say it’s worked out quite well for both sides. Calgary added future assets from a pending UFA while Dallas got a productive piece for their playoff run. While the Flames maybe could’ve got more such as first for Tanev, it likely would have included taking on a bad contract which the Flames weren’t interested in doing at the time.
It’s a trade that I was totally okay with. Tanev was never going to be a part of the Flames’ future moving forward, so it was in the best interest of the team to get assets for him and to not wait too long in case he injured himself. Ask any Flames fan today, and they’ll tell you that Tanev was an absolute warrior during his time with the C of Red, and a great human being off the ice.
