Calgary Flames Officially Claim Veteran Defenseman On Waivers

Last week, the Calgary Flames traded Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars for Artem Grushnikov, a second-round pick in 2024 and a conditional third-round pick in 2026, and now, there's another twist in the story.

On Tuesday, the team officially claimed veteran defenseman Joel Hanley from the Stars, who was waived to make room for Tanev, in essence giving the Flames another solid veteran asset from the trade.

The 32-year old has just 3 assists in the 32 games he's played with the Stars in 2023-24, but with Noah Hanifin expected to be gone soon, he will bring great experience to the third or second pairing for the next season and a half. Over that time, Hanley carries a cap hit of just $787,500, and will be a great compliment to either Brayden Pachal or Oliver Kylington.

The Flames may not have won the Tanev trade, but getting a solid veteran piece on the blue line on top of the two draft picks and 20-year old defenseman is certainly a solid return for the Flames as they look to figure out the direction of the future.