Canucks Rumors: Proposed Trade That Could Land Elias Lindholm in Vancouver

It certainly would be a surprise to see the Calgary Flames trade their assistant captain and longtime star forward Elias Lindholm to the rival Vancouver Canucks, but it wouldn't be the first time this season the two teams have struck a deal, as Vancouver acquired pending UFA defenseman Nikita Zadorov from the Flames earlier in the campaign.

Corey Pronman and Julian McKenzie of The Athletic have proposed a trade that could land Lindholm in B.C.:

Canucks Receive:

Elias Lindholm, C/F

Flames Receive:

• Nils Hoglander, LW
• Andrei Kuzmenko, LW
• Canucks 2024 NHL Draft first-round pick

Kuzmenko is having a dreadful follow-up to his explosive first year, dropping from 39 goals down to just 8 so far this season, but there's still hope he could get his mojo back. He has another year at a $5.5 million cap hit. 

Hoglander, a former 2nd-round pick in 2019, has 14 goals this season while playing just 11 minutes per night in this his fourth season with the Canucks. The 23-year-old has some potential. 

The first-round pick, coming from the league-leading Canucks, obviously wouldn't be a very high one. 

Would this get it done? As NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman stated this week, he believes that the Canucks would have a tougher time landing Lindholm from their Western Canada rivals than other teams might. 

"The Canucks already have made a deal with Calgary this season, (but) had to pay a little bit more than some other teams might have for Zadorov, had to throw in a second pick. I just think if it’s gonna be Flames/Canucks, (Vancouver is) gonna have to pay a little bit more than some other teams will."

Photo: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports