The Dallas Stars acquired defenseman Chris Tanev from the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night, the latest addition by a Stanley Cup contender in the Western Conference ahead of the March 8 NHL trade deadline.

Dallas sent a 2024 second-round pick, 20-year-old defense prospect Artem Grushnikov and a 2026 conditional third-rounder to Calgary for Tanev, who was considered one of the top trade candidates available. New Jersey is retaining half of Tanev's salary as part of the deal, which also includes the Stars flipping a '26 fourth-round pick to the Devils for unsigned goaltending prospect Cole Brady.

Tanev, 34, gives the Stars some much-needed defensive and penalty-killing depth to try to get through the gauntlet that is the playoffs in the West. The league-leading Vancouver Canucks already got the top center available by trading with Calgary for Elias Lindholm , and the Central Division first-place Winnipeg Jets followed suit by acquiring Sean Monahan from Montreal.

The Stars are adding the 6-foot-2, 193-pound Tanev to a blue line that's headlined by Miro Heiskanen and also includes veteran Ryan Suter and defensive stalwarts Esa Lindell and Jani Hakanpaa.

Tanev, in the final season of a four-year $18 million contract, is averaging nearly 20 minutes of ice time this season and has a goal and 13 assists in 56 games.

Calgary might not be done dealing, either. First-year general manager Craig Conroy has another pending free agent defenseman in Noah Hanifin and could likely fetch a significant return for goaltender Jacob Markstrom, signed through 2026, if he chooses to trade him.