Follow usAfter wrapping up a trip to Mexico, Elias Lindholm received the news of his trade to the NHL-leading Vancouver while en route back to Calgary. Upon his arrival at All-Star Weekend on Thursday, Lindholm was greeted with a brand-new Canucks jersey featuring his name and the No. 23, marking a welcome development for the pending free agent who had anticipated a move for some time.
Expressing his excitement, Lindholm said, “I was prepared for anything. Didn’t know when or what team and didn’t expect to be traded in the air back from Mexico, but I’m super excited to join this team and pumped to get going.”
This move follows a pattern for the Canucks, who made a significant trade on All-Star eve for the second consecutive year. Unlike the previous year when they traded Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders, this time, the Canucks are not in a selling position. They currently lead the league and are in buying mode, acquiring Lindholm from Calgary in exchange for winger Andrei Kuzmenko, prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo, a 2024 first-round draft pick, and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the acquisition, coach Rick Tocchet stated, “I’m just excited we got this guy. He’s just going to fill a huge need for us in the sense that he’s a jack of all trades and he’s a great penalty-killer, too, and he can play power play.”
Tocchet also sought input from Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk, Lindholm’s former teammate on the Flames for five seasons, who vouched for Lindholm’s abilities. Tocchet shared, “He said, ‘I love him.’ When Matthew Tkachuk says he loves a guy, you know he’s a good player.”
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