Confirmed Trade: [VAN/CGY] Elias Lindholm for Andrei Kuzmenko, Hunter Brzustewicz, Joni Jurmo, 2024 1st, cond. 2024 4th

[biturbo19]

Just because the Avs didn’t have the disposable prospects doesn’t mean that the Canucks “paid a very high price” though. They effectively paid a late 1st and a B prospect, pretty much the going rate for a rental like Lindholm.

Yeah. This is basically just paying "the going rate" for this type of player. But they're getting him early, with more time to gel with the team and contribute.

It's basically a slightly different tweak on the Horvat trade recipe.

Brzustewicz > Raty but they're both in that same general "B Prospect" echelon. Promising aspects but plenty of warts and questionmarks.

The NYI 1st was significantly higher than the VAN 1st is projecting to be though, which offsets.

And Kuzmenko is a more expensive, but better "cap offset" than Beauvillier.


It comes out as pretty close to a wash overall. And i think Lindholm is probably the better overall fit for the roster as an actually strong 2-way RH Center. Also potentially fits the locker room/culture better, where things seemed to have gone kind of sour with Horvat for whatever reason. And the timeline allowed them to also go out and get Hronek in the process, who has been a huge addition.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Hunter Brzustewicz is having a fine season. He’s a very good player. But his profile is clearly lower. He doesn’t have the same physical attributes or skating as Ritchie. His game is less likely to transmit to nhl. Ritchie is already big and fast by nhl standards.

can’t coach size and speed. And neither ever has an off day.

pace for 100 points... name the last d+1 season d-man who has done that in the CHL/OHL?
i think he is having a monster season, best season any d-man is having in a very long time

do explain, because i see his game translate big time to the NHL

 

[Metalwood]

whom is a bust?, 4th round pick isn't a nothing pick you know, i still think Canucks paid too much

Jurmo a Benning pick, he’s not an nhl calibre player

 

[Double Dion]

Jurmo a Benning pick, he’s not an nhl calibre player

He hasn't progressed. I think he's likely nothing too, but Jimbo actually didn't draft poorly. It was the one thing he did well. Signings and trades... Yikes.

 

[Rowlet]

whom is a bust?, 4th round pick isn't a nothing pick you know, i still think Canucks paid too much

the third round pick from four years ago who never accomplished anything.

Canucks filled all their needs in one move while keeping their blue chip prospects and also cleared 5.5m in cap for next season where they need to re-sign Pettersson and Hronek

 

[McJedi]

pace for 100 points... name the last d+1 season d-man who has done that in the CHL/OHL?
i think he is having a monster season, best season any d-man is having in a very long time

do explain, because i see his game translate big time to the NHL

He doesn’t have ideal size or speed. His shot is so-so. But I like him. I think he’ll be an nhl player. He’s a good prospect.

he does a lot of things pretty well. Moves the puck effectively. He’s good. Definitely should have been drafted higher than he went.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

I think Brzustewicz out of most of their prospects was the easiest to move. He won’t have an easy path to the NHL and would be behind both Hronek and Willander on the right side for the foreseeable future.

About Hronek though... he had a steaming hot start for the Canucks,
1 goal, 5 points in his last 10 games, yes +9 but, last 5 games 0+0 and -1
and Willander hasn't played a single game in the NHL, as hasn't Hunter Brzustewicz

​

 

[Double Dion]

I still maintain that was a good trade for us. Just a shame Treliving had to play hot potato with the Florida 1st and simultaneously tie up our next 3 1sts instead of putting Monahan on LTIR.

The trade was fine. It was the panic signings that weren't.

 

[Czechboy]

I think it's a win - win.

Nucks did exactly what they shoudl've done and are, amazingly, even better now.

Flames picked up a lot of nice pieces and I do think Hunter will become a very good NHL dman.

As an Oil fan.. this means Tanev is still available as he's a guy I think we should target!

 

[Double Dion]

He doesn’t have ideal size or speed. His shot is so-so. But I like him. I think he’ll be an nhl player. He’s a good prospect.

he does a lot of things pretty well. Moves the puck effectively. He’s good.

His shot is worse than ok. I stopped playing hockey when I got cut from the U of L 22 years ago. I have a better shot right now than he does. It's his reads. They are exceptional. His first pass, exceptional.

 

[Rowlet]

He hasn't progressed. I think he's likely nothing too, but Jimbo actually didn't draft poorly. It was the one thing he did well. Signings and trades... Yikes.

He reached for Virtanen over Nylander at #5 because Virtanen was from Vancouver, he took McCann over Pastrnak the pick before he was taken despite the Canucks having extremely good European scouts, he reached for Juolevi at #5 over Tkachuk even though they were from the same team because he wanted a Defenseman, and he wanted to take Glass over Pettersson but was overruled by his own staff after how terrible Virtanen and Juolevi were.

 

[McJedi]

I think Brzustewicz out of most of their prospects was the easiest to move. He won’t have an easy path to the NHL and would be behind both Hronek and Willander on the right side for the foreseeable future.

That makes sense but he’s a good prospect. And you also wonder what’s wrong with Lindholm. He’s struggled this season. Kuzmenko has struggled but so has Lindholm.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

the third round pick from four years ago who never accomplished anything.

Canucks filled all their needs in one move while keeping their blue chip prospects and also cleared 5.5m in cap for next season where they need to re-sign Pettersson and Hronek

Hunter Brzustewicz is a blue chip prospect, Canucks instead kept Podkolzin
not that he would have get Canucks Lindholm, but yeah.

prospects in plural, Willander and who else?, now that Hunter is gone
or do you seriously think Podz as a blue chip?

 

[SillyRabbit]

He hasn't progressed. I think he's likely nothing too, but Jimbo actually didn't draft poorly. It was the one thing he did well. Signings and trades... Yikes.

Let's dispel this myth once and for all.

Benning was the guy who wanted Virtanen and Juolevi.

Multiple people have come out and said that he had to be strong-armed into drafting Pettersson and Hughes.

It's absolutely no coincidence that the Wild have a top 5 prospect pool in the NHL since acquiring Judd Brackett from the Canucks, the guy behind most of Benning's good picks, along with Thomas Gradin.

 

[Peter Griffin]

About Hronek though... he had a steaming hot start for the Canucks,
1 goal, 5 points in his last 10 games, yes +9 but, last 5 games 0+0 and -1
and Willander hasn't played a single game in the NHL, as hasn't Hunter Brzustewicz

​

​

About Hronek though... he had a steaming hot start for the Canucks,
1 goal, 5 points in his last 10 games, yes +9 but, last 5 games 0+0 and -1
and Willander hasn't played a single game in the NHL, as hasn't Hunter Brzustewicz

​

So Hronek hasn’t put up a point in 5 games and that means what exactly? And yes neither Willander or Brzustewicz have played an NHL game, Willander is still a much better overall prospect.

 

[PROUD PAPA]

Nice deal for Calgary.

Now move some more out and get away from the mediocre state you were destined to be stuck in.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

He doesn’t have ideal size or speed. His shot is so-so. But I like him. I think he’ll be an nhl player. He’s a good prospect.

he does a lot of things pretty well. Moves the puck effectively. He’s good. Definitely should have been drafted higher than he went.

what is ideal size and speed?
i don't think in the modern NHL there is such things

 

[rea]

While this may seem steep, overall it just sets the market, so other teams buying and selling will prob use this as a measuring stick, so that will mean every trade will work twds overpayment. And it prob gets worse getting closer to tdl w more suitors vying for same players

 

[Yepthatsme]

That's a fair point. Calgary has seemed to do alright with defenceman development. Aside from the bungling of Valimaki and a few other little snags here and there. Certainly fills a need in the Flames prospect pool.


Jurmo on the other hand, is about as spare change throw-in as throw-ins get. I'd be surprised if he even earns a contract. I don't think there was much of any chance he was gonna net one with the Canucks. But i guess hey, just an extra little bit of fluff to the deal...doesn't really hurt i suppose.

I’d be hard pressed to call the Valimaki pick bungled, he showed amazing potential his first year with the Flames and played a tantalizingly high amount of minutes in the playoffs that season. Back to back leg injuries for a big mobile defenseman was what really held him back after that, he will always be a what if had those not happened. I’d argue he still doesn’t make Calgary’s roster to this day with a left side of Weegar, Hanifin, and Kylington.

Having Brzustewicz, Poirier, and Morin as high ceiling risky prospects with Kuznetsov, Jurmo, and a litany of low upside prospects has our defense pipeline solidified, and hopefully their identification and development of said defenseman can remain an organizational strength and help them reach their potential.

The appeal of the deal was definitely another 1st, a defenseman who took a big step Calgary could begin developing, and the lottery ball that was Kuzmenko. If Calgary has any brains he will be given the best offensive opportunity possible, and best case scenario Calgary’s quick retool is effective and they can improve next year, worst case scenario they sell him off retained at next deadline to increase the return Lindholm received.

 

[Russian_fanatic]

Let's dispel this myth once and for all.

Benning was the guy who wanted Virtanen and Juolevi.

Multiple people have come out and said that he had to be strong-armed into drafting Pettersson and Hughes.

It's absolutely no coincidence that the Wild have a top 5 prospect pool in the NHL since acquiring Judd Brackett from the Canucks, the guy behind most of Benning's good picks, along with Thomas Gradin.

Pettersson was actually a Delorme find. And he was the main reason the Canucks drafted so many busts from the early 90's-early 2010's.

But he does just fine when he isn't counted on to be the head scout.

 

[RunItBackAgain]

Good job Flames. Should be able to get a nice haul for Hanifin yet and maybe something solid for Tanev with retention. Keep it up!

 

[Double Dion]

He reached for Virtanen over Nylander at #5 because Virtanen was from Vancouver, he took McCann over Pastrnak the pick before he was taken despite the Canucks having extremely good European scouts, he reached for Juolevi at #5 over Tkachuk even though they were from the same team because he wanted a Defenseman, and he wanted to take Glass over Pettersson but was overruled by his own staff after how terrible Virtanen and Juolevi were.

Drafted Demko in round 2. Elite goalie
Drafted Forsling in round 5. Top 4 defenseman
Boeser 23rd OA
Pettersson 5OA 2nd best player in the draft
Hughes 7OA best player in the draft

There are plenty of good picks too. Juolevi was the one that was inexcusable with Tkachuk and Keller still on the board. I can understand the logic of Virtanen with those physical tools. I can understand McCann too.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

So Hronek hasn’t put up a point in 5 games and that means what exactly? And yes neither Willander or Brzustewicz have played an NHL game, Willander is still a much better overall prospect.

time will tell, he does look really good but i wasn't that impressed his game at the WJC
but also Brz has also lost his production too, so there's that.

But i haven't seen enough good from Willander to be a much better prospect
what Brzustewicz is atm

 

[biturbo19]

Gulyayev started the KHL season as a number 7 Dman. He is playing the number 3 D guy for his team now, scored a goal today too. His roster progression is insanely good. His team is the number 1 team in the Eastern conference and his coach plays him in a big role. hes vastly outplaying his draft status and both Russian Dmen taken in the top 12 picks of 2023 draft.

the KHL is a far higher level than the WHL. That’s a men’s league. Not boys.

Gulyayev also plays a defensive role for his KHL team. He’s a better defensive defender than offensive. same as Byram, who is better defensively than offensively.

he’s a much better prospect than Hunter Brzustewicz. He’s every bit as good as Ritchie.

And Brzustewicz started the season and has become one of the OHL leading scorers. It's half a season, and the true quality of the KHL is certainly in some degree of question these days. It's too little for either guy to be massively adjusted in their projection, or have put to bed their respective questionmarks about how they'll translate to the NHL level. They're both still just "B Prospects".


Ritchie i'll give the benefit of the doubt to as an "A Prospect", but again...that's largely because i viewed him that way prior to the draft. He's simply done nothing this season but vindicate that. But for a lot of other teams that had him rated less highly at the draft...he's probably still closer to a "B Prospect" despite having a strong season.


Teams don't tend to have as volatile and kneejerk "what have you done for me lately" approaches to prospects that are a multi-year investment with all sorts of inevitable fluctuations up and down along the way. A lot of the real "adjustment" to trajectory comes when they go to make that jump to the AHL/NHL. That starts to narrow the cone of realistic projectable outcomes pretty significantly. But none of these guys are anywhere near that point yet. It's been half a season.

 

[Peter Griffin]

That makes sense but he’s a good prospect. And you also wonder what’s wrong with Lindholm. He’s struggled this season. Kuzmenko has struggled but so has Lindholm.

Lindholm has struggled playing with less impressive players than Kuzmenko. Lindholm should get an opportunity to play alongside EP and at the very least, is a much better defensive player than Kuzmenko.

And yes, Brzustewicz is a good prospect and probably has an NHL future but will he be a Clendenning or …?