By: Trent Leith / January 31, 2024 The Canucks once again kick off trade season, this year though, instead of selling a centre, they’re buying one.
It was a slow trickle of information, but Wednesday night it became clear based on various credible reports that the Canucks were going to be trading Kuzmenko and Brzustewicz for Elias Lindholm. The rest of the deal became public shortly before 6 PM PST.
This is the second year in a row the Canucks have set the market for star forwards on expiring deals. Last season it was Bo Horvat, and this season it is Elias Lindholm, who funny enough is reportedly looking for a contract extension similar to Bo Horvat’s
The Canucks sent Andrei Kuzmenko, Hunter Brzustewicz, Joni Jurmo, a 2024 first-round pick, and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick to Calgary for Elias Lindholm.
When you look at it in a list it looks like a lot to give up for a rental, but if you break it down, the Canucks gave up a late first-round pick, a prospect ranked between 3-5 on the depth chart, and a player who was likely to be traded anyways. Throw in a meh prospect and a conditional fourth to make it all shake out and you got yourself a pretty tidy piece of business from the Canucks.
Elias Lindholm will add some two-way versatility in the top six, whether he plays on the wing or at the centre position.
Lindholm could pair nicely with Pettersson on the second line along with Mikheyev or could be an upgrade on Pius Suter as the second-line centre if the Lotto Line gets back together. Either way, on paper he seems like a great fit and could be the final piece of the puzzle to bring the Lotto Line back to the forefront long term.
With the addition of Lindholm, the Canucks now have seven representatives going to Toronto for All-Star Weekend. Lindholm was reportedly in the air on his way to Toronto when the trade happened, so the first time we will see Lindholm in a Canucks jersey will be at the All-Star festivities.
Lindholm will be joining, Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, JT Miller, Brock Boeser, Thatcher Demko and Rich Toccet as representatives for the Canucks.
Even after this blockbuster trade took place Wednesday night Darren Dreger reported that a trade could still be on the table.
If it was not clear before, it is clear now, the Canucks are all in on a push for the Stanley Cup. Buckle your seatbelt kids, it’s going to be a fun ride.