Flames trade Kris Russell to Dallas Stars for Jokipakka, Pollock, draft pick

The Calgary Flames have made a move on trade deadline day, dealing defenceman Kris Russell to the Dallas Stars for Jyrki Jokipakka, Brett Pollock and a conditional draft pick.

Jyrki Jokipakka is part of the package going back to Calgary for Russell

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 29, 2016

Also going to Calgary, prospect Brett Pollock and a conditional second-round pick

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 29, 2016

The draft pick involved is a second round pick, unless the Stars make the conference final, in which case it will become a first rounder. I guess there’s going to be a lot of Stars bandwagon fans in southern Alberta this year.

If DAL makes conference Final, that second becomes a first. Burke will next appear on-air in a Stars jersey.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 29, 2016

In return for Russell, the Flames get some future assets.

Jokipakka is a 6’3″, 215-pound, 24-year-old defenceman in his second NHL season. He was a 7th round draft pick by Dallas in 2011, but his stock has clearly risen.

Pollock was a 2nd round pick by the Stars in 2014. The 19-year-old centre currently plays for the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL where he currently has 67 points in 63 games.

Russell, who was acquired by the Flames in exchange for a 5th round pick in the 2013 offseason, became an important defenceman in three seasons with the Flames. He averaged 22:52 of ice time a night this season, ranking him behind only TJ Brodie and Mark Giordano on the Flames roster.

Russell finishes his time with the Flames accumulating 78 points (15-63-78) in 198 regular season games. He was excellent for Calgary in last year’s playoffs, contributing 7 points (2-5-7) in 11 games.

The writing appeared to be on the wall for Russell ever since the Flames acquired Dougie Hamilton from the Boston Bruins in the summer. Russell is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, making him expendable for a Flames team that is destined to miss the playoff this season.

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