The Dallas Stars acquired defenseman Chris Tanev and the rights to goalie Cole Brady in a trade involving the Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils.

The NHL trade deadline is March 8, but teams don't always wait until the last minute to pull off a major deal.

Speculation has swirled for weeks that the Dallas Stars were interested in Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev. On Wednesday, speculation turned into reality.

Stars general manager Jim Nill swung a deal to acquire Tanev along with the rights to unsigned draft choice goaltender Cole Brady in a three-way trade involving the New Jersey Devils and Calgary Flames.

Here's how the transaction went down:

Trade 1

The Devils traded unsigned draft choice goalie Cole Brady to Calgary in exchange for Tanev. The Flames agreed to retain 50% of Tanev's salary for the remainder of this season.

Trade 2

The Devils then traded Tanev to Dallas for the Stars' own fourth-round draft selection in 2026. The Devils also agreed to retain 25% of Tanev's contract the rest of this season.

Trade 3

The Flames traded Brady to the Stars in exchange for defenseman Artem Grushnikov, Dallas' own selection in 2024 and a conditional third round selection in 2026 (Dallas' own) provided the Stars advance to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final through three rounds. If the Stars do not win three rounds this postseason, the additional pick will not be transferred to the Flames.

Tanev, 34, has served as an alternate captain for the Flames this season. Through 56 games, he's recorded 14 points (1-13-14). He ranks second overall in the NHL with 171 blocked shots and fourth on the team in plus-minus with a +16. He's fifth in average TOI per game (19:50).

In 14 NHL seasons with Calgary and the Vancouver Canucks, Tanev has 185 points (32-153-185). He's recorded 67 points (10-57-67) in 259 regular-season games with a +73 rating since joining the Flames in 2020-21. His 566 blocks are the fourth-most by any NHL player, while his 749:46 shorthanded time on ice ranks seventh.

Tanev is in the final year of his contract, which is $4.5 million, according to CapFriendly. However, with New Jersey retaining 25% of the deal and Calgary 50%, the Stars are only on the hook for $1.125 million. That gives them the cap room to maneuver for more trades, along with other pieces on their current roster for bargaining power if they choose.

The brilliance of this move by Nill is indicative of why he was voted General Manager of the Year last season. He acquired a top defensive talent without mortgaging the farm or the roster.

Nill is also putting his team in a position to go all-in on a Stanley Cup run this season, and isn't afraid to be aggressive in making deals if the package is right.

The Stars have been desperate for defensive help, and Tanev should easily fit the bill. The addition of the rights to Brady also gives Dallas much-needed depth at the goalie position within the organization.

Don't blink; there may be more moves to come. Stay close to The Hockey News for further developments as they occur.

Make sure you bookmark THN's Dallas Stars site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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