Many teams from around the NHL have been making big moves to patch injury holes in the roster, bulk up their depth for the playoffs, or even start to rebuild the team. The Dallas Stars announced on Wednesday that they are acquiring Chris Tanev in a three team trade with the New Jersey Devils and Calgary Flames.

Calgary sent Tanev to Dallas and in return received defenseman prospect Artem Grushnikov and Dallas’ second round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. New Jersey received Dallas’ fourth round pick in the 2026 draft. 

Tanev was having a strong year on Calgary’s squad, logging 14 points (one goal and 13 assists), a plus-16 rating, and leading the Flames in blocks throughout the 56 games played this season. 

Dallas is hoping that Tanev can continue this production and contribute to their season that sees them sitting at second in the Central Division with a 35-17-9 record. Tanev will join a Stars roster that is already stacked with veteran talent like Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and Matt Duchene. The Stars front office obviously hopes that Tanev will fit in seamlessly among these veterans and propel the Stars to their second Stanley Cup in five years.

The Flames acquired significant draft capital through this trade. While sitting soundly in the middle of the Pacific Division standings, they lack big name talent and are struggling for consistency. The prospect that the Flames acquired in the trade, Artem Grushnikov, has shown promise even in the beginning of his career, logging 5 points (one goal and four assists) in 44 games with the Texas of the American Hockey League. This draft capital and promising young prospect will help the Flames build up their young core and strengthen their team in the long run.

This trade seems to be beneficial for both sides based on their current situations. It will be interesting to see how this trade affects both teams going forward, specifically the Stars’ playoff push.