Canucks acquire Lindholm from Flames for Kuzmenko, four other pieces
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The Calgary Flames have traded forward Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks for a package that includes forward Andrei Kuzmenko.
The Flames will also receive prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo, a 2024 first-round draft pick, and a conditional 2024 fourth-round draft pick.
Lindholm has nine goals and 23 points in 49 games this season. He was named to his first All-Star Game in January.
The 29-year-old centre is a pending unrestricted free agent, carrying a cap hit of $4.85 million on his expiring deal.
Selected fifth overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2013 draft, Lindholm has 212 goals and 545 points in 792 games with the Hurricanes and Flames.
He was acquired by Calgary along with Noah Hanifin in the June 2018 deal that saw Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland, and Adam Fox head the other way.
Kuzmenko had to waive his no-trade clause in order to accept the trade to the Flames, according to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.
The 28-year-old winger has eight goals and 21 points in 43 games this season.
This is the first year of a two-year, $11 million deal Kuzmenko signed last summer. He will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season.
Kuzmenko signed with the Canucks as an undrafted free agent and has spent his entire two-year career with the team.
In 124 career NHL games, the Yakutsk, Russia native has 47 goals and 95 points.
Brzustewicz, 19, was drafted 75th overall by the Canucks in the 2023 draft and plays for the OHL's Kitchener Rangers.
The 6-foot defenceman is third in OHL scoring with eight goals and 69 points in 47 games this season.
Jurmo, 21, was drafted 82nd overall by the Canucks in the 2020 draft and currently plays for Ilves of Liiga in Finland.