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The Dallas Stars, tied for first place in the Central Division, beefed up their blue line late Wednesday night by acquiring defenseman Chris Tanev in a three-team trade.

Tanev, a pending unrestricted free agent, heads to Dallas from the Calgary Flames.

“We are fortunate to have the opportunity to add a player of Chris’ caliber to our team,” Stars general manager Jim Nill said, according to NHL.com. “He is a proven defenseman with postseason experience that is comfortable in all situations on the ice. Chris is one of the best penalty killers in the NHL and will be a tremendous asset to our special teams play.”

Flames general manager Craig Conroy told NHL.com, “Obviously, Chris, what he’s meant to the organization and what he’s done for us over the four years, it’s never easy to kind of let guys go, but we also knew it was something we had to do. To move forward, we worked through lots of calls with different teams to figure out what’s the best thing for the Calgary Flames in what we’re trying to do and trying to accomplish here.

“To be able to get Artem Grushnikov, he’s a young, 20-year-old kind of defensive defenseman that is good on the penalty kill, strong, just a solid all-around defender. … I think he’s someone we’re happy to add to the group.”

Defenseman Artem Grushnikov moves from the Stars’ AHL affiliate to Calgary. The Flames also got Dallas’ 2024 second-round draft pick and a conditional 2026 third-round pick that would only become Calgary’s should the Stars reach the Stanley Cup Final this year.

The Stars also received the rights to University of Massachusetts goalie Cole Brady from the New Jersey Devils, who got Dallas’ 2026 fourth-round pick in exchange.

Through 56 games this season, Tanev has one goal, 13 assists and a plus-16 rating. The 34-year-old Toronto native was in his fourth season with the Flames after spending 10 seasons with the Vancouver Canucks.

In 773 career games, Tanev has 32 goals, 153 assists and a plus-116 rating.

Grushnikov was Dallas’ second-round draft pick in 2021. This season, he had one goal, four assists and a plus-3 rating in 44 games for AHL Texas.

–Field Level Media