Flames "believed to be in" on trade for Canucks defenceman Schenn: report

Feb 8 2023, 5:08 pm

The Calgary Flames are apparently looking to bolster their blue line, and they could be looking to a Pacific Division rival to help them in the form of Luke Schenn.

The Flames are “believed to be in on” the Vancouver Canucks defenceman, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

“You can see the possibility because of Chris Tanev’s injuries. Tanev is as big a gamer as they come, but even he can’t overcome everything. There’s been a push from some in the Canucks organization to keep Schenn. I think it depends on what’s offered,” Friedman wrote in his 32 Thoughts column Tuesday night.

Tanev has missed 10 games over three separate stints this season because of different upper-body injuries. He also missed a portion of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs because of a torn labrum and separated shoulder.

Schenn, a 6’2″, 225-pound right-shot blueliner, has 18 points (three goals, 15 assists) and is second on Vancouver with a +8 rating. He is a pending unrestricted free agent with a cap hit of $850,000.

“If Vancouver deems it too low, they won’t move. But there’s plenty of interest, which generally pushes up the price,” Friedman wrote.

The Canucks are sixth in the Pacific Division with a record of 20-26-4 for 44 points, 14 points back of the fifth-place Flames. Calgary is tied with the Colorado Avalanche for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference, and has played two more games.

Friedman reported the Canucks could “put a ton of players out there” prior to the NHL All-Star break, before dealing captain Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders in exchange for Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Räty, and a first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

That list could include Schenn.

The Flames, who have several former Canucks on their roster including Tanev, goaltender Jacob Markstrom, and forward Tyler Toffoli, have been short a defenceman all season with blueliner Oliver Kylington absent from the club because of personal reasons.

“It’s certainly something we want to have clarity on as soon as we possibly can,” Treliving told NHL.com earlier this week. “We want to be supportive, and we have been, but certainly clarity there is going to be required as we get closer to March 3.”

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