At the 2024 NHL trade deadline, two of the most significant trades were the Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin trades. Since the dust has fully settled on the opening wave of free agency and the 2026 NHL Draft is now complete, we can take a look at the final returns for both trades.
Tanev Trade
On February 28, 2024, the Calgary Flames traded Tanev to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Artem Grushnikov, a 2024 second-round pick, and a conditional 2026 third-round pick. The Flames did not receive this third-round pick because the condition was not met.
Grushnikov
The only player heading back to Calgary in the deal was Grushnikov, who was originally selected 48th overall by Dallas in 2021. Grushnikov was brought in to potentially be a stay-at-home NHL defenceman one day. However, he has never played an NHL game to this day.
During the 2025–26 season, Grushnikov scored just two points in 55 AHL games. His point production was never expected to be high, since he has always been a defensive defenceman. But, clearly, his defensive acumen is not good enough, considering the Flames opted to not tender him a qualifying offer. He is now an unrestricted free agent.
The second-round pick
With the 2024 second-round pick acquired from Dallas, the Flames drafted forward Jacob Battaglia from the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs. Battaglia quickly showed promise, exploding for a 40-goal, 90-point season in his post-draft year. This impressive performance resulted in the Flames signing him to an entry-level contract.
However, by the time the 2026 trade deadline rolled around, Battaglia’s production in the OHL had dipped significantly. Because of this, the Flames decided to move on from Battaglia. On March 6, 2026, the Flames flipped Battaglia to the New York Rangers in exchange for 23-year-old winger Brennan Othmann.
Following the trade, Othmann reported directly to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers. After a few weeks of adjusting to the Wranglers’ system, he was recalled to the big club. On March 28, 2026, Othmann made his Flames debut. Although he was later reassigned back to the Wranglers to finish out the AHL season, his productive cameo in the NHL (two points in two games) showed plenty of promise.
The Flames’ brass must have liked what they saw from Othmann. Unlike Grushnikov, the Flames extended a qualifying offer to Othmann. This move ensured that the club retained his rights. Even though Othmann is not yet signed, it is expected that he and the Flames will agree to terms on a new contract soon.
Analyzing the final return
Since Grushnikov is no longer with the Flames’ organization, this trade essentially boils down to Tanev for Othmann. Considering Othmann struggled heavily during his time in the Rangers’ organization, it’s safe to say that this return isn’t exactly a home run. However, getting something for an aging, injury-prone defenceman like Tanev is certainly better than getting nothing. We’ll have to wait and see if Othmann is able to become a full-time NHL player.
Hanifin Trade
On March 6, 2024, the Flames traded Hanifin to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Daniil Miromanov, a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2024 third-round pick.
Miromanov
Immediately after acquiring Miromanov, the Flames signed him to a two-year contract extension. The Flames valued Miromanov’s offensive upside and were hoping that he could blossom in Calgary with more ice time. He showed flashes of that offensive upside initially, scoring seven points in 20 NHL games with the Flames in 2023–24.
However, Miromanov’s tenure in Calgary was overall not very impressive. After appearing in 44 NHL games during the 2024–25 campaign, Miromanov spent the vast majority of the 2025–26 season down in the AHL with the Wranglers. He proved to be a highly productive veteran presence for the Wranglers, recording 38 points (11 goals, 27 assists) in 66 games.
At the conclusion of the 2025–26 season, Miromanov’s NHL contract expired. As an unrestricted free agent, he signed with SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL.
The first-round pick
The crown jewel of the Hanifin trade was the 2026 first-round pick. Since the Golden Knights made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, the pick ended up at 30th overall. With this pick, the Flames selected centre Jack Hextall out of the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms.
Hextall is a highly intriguing playmaker who brings reliable two-way instincts down the middle. Since he is committed to Michigan State University, Hextall will spend the next year or two seasoning his game in the NCAA. Hextall is a promising prospect and could potentially become a fixture in the Flames’ future lineup.
The third-round pick
The other draft capital shipped over from Vegas was a 2024 third-round choice, which the Flames used to draft Russian goaltender Kirill Zarubin. Zarubin’s numbers since his draft day have turned heads. He put up a stellar 2.17 GAA and a .930 save percentage in 48 games in Russia’s junior league during the 2025–26 season.
Recognizing his rapid progression, the Flames signed Zarubin to an entry-level contract on May 22, 2026. He is expected to transition to North America and play for the Wranglers during the 2026–27 season. The addition of Zarubin to the Flames’ organization adds depth to a goaltending pipeline that is already among the strongest in the league.
Analyzing the final return
With Miromanov now playing in Russia, the trade now looks like Hanifin for Hextall and Zarubin. We’ll have to wait and see how much impact Hextall and Zarubin have at the NHL level before we can evaluate the trade fully. Given that Hanifin was a pending unrestricted free agent with no intention of re-signing, acquiring two potential pieces for the future for him is not a bad trade at all.
Conclusion
The fact that both Grushnikov and Miromanov amounted to nothing stings. Additionally, some fans might have wanted to have seen more picks and/or prospects coming back to Calgary in these trades. However, walking away from two pending unrestricted free agents and ending up with a former first-round winger (Othmann), a highly touted college-bound centre (Hextall), and a rapidly rising goaltending prospect (Zarubin) is a solid haul.
