Elias Lindholm says he was willing to sign an extension with the Flames

Elias Lindholm was open to staying with the Calgary Flames.

The 29-year-old, who was involved in trade rumours all season long, was finally dealt to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night. In return, the Flames received Andrei Kuzmenko, prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo, and a first and fourth-round pick in 2024.

Part of the reason for all the Lindholm trade chatter this season came because he chose not to sign a reported extension offered to him in training camp. Fans seemed to take it as a sign that he wanted to be elsewhere, but according to Lindholm, that wasn’t the case.

“I was always willing to stay,” the Swedish centreman told reporters ahead of the All-Star Weekend festivities.

Elias Lindholm says he never told the #flames he wouldn’t sign a contract extension: “I was always willing to stay.”

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) February 1, 2024

While not confirmed, it was reported that the extension offered by the Flames was an eight-year deal with a salary of roughly $9 million per season. In the end, it may have worked out best for the Flames that he refused to sign it, as he was struggling to produce this season while the team itself has struggled to pick up wins. Instead, they were able to get back several intriguing pieces, which should help them become a better team moving forward.

As for Lindholm, he is now a part of a Canucks team that has been the NHL’s biggest surprise this season. They currently sit atop league standings with a 33-11-5 record, and have three of the league’s top 10 point producers: J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, and Quinn Hughes. Not far out of the top 10 is Brock Boeser, whose 30 goals are tied for sixth in the scoring race.

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