The Calgary Flames continued their sale on Wednesday night. Calgary sent veteran defenseman Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars in a three-team trade with the New Jersey Devils. With the deal official, fans are now hearing from Calgary general manager Craig Conroy about his team's side of things.

Conroy met up with FlamesTV host Brendan Parker for a short interview posted by the team on social media. Conroy was asked about why he made the trade, and his answer was rather straightforward. “You're always looking to make the best deal you can do for the team. We just felt that at this point in time, this was the right deal for us,” the Flames general manager told Parker on Wednesday night.

The Flames traded Tanev to the Stars in exchange for defenseman Artem Grushnikov, a 2024 second-round pick, and a conditional 2026 third-round pick. Calgary will receive the third-round pick if Dallas makes the Stanley Cup Final this year. Calgary also retained 50% of his contract, with the Devils taking on another portion of it as well.

Craig Conroy speaks about new Flames prospect

The Flames reportedly sought a first-round pick in any trade involving Chris Tanev. They didn't get that in this deal. However, Grushnikov holds some potential as a former second-round pick. And Conroy is very excited for the young rearguard to get going in Calgary.

“He knows what he is as a player. He's kind of a defensive defenseman, he kills penalties, he's strong on pucks,” Conroy told Parker on Wednesday. “You're going to look at the numbers, and the numbers won't be there. But that's not what he does well. What he does well is on the ‘D' side of the puck.”

The Flames general manager mentioned his fit with others in the system. Calgary already has a few offensive-minded blueliners coming up, such as Jérémie Poirier and Hunter Brzustewicz. Adding a more defensively inclined player to the back end provides a nice balance.

What Conroy truly sounded excited about was Grushnikov's character. “This guy wants to be a player. Whether it's on the ice doing the extra work or in the gym. He's given back to his family, he's all about family. Highest character kid you can find is what I'm hearing,” the Flames general manager told Parker.

The Flames have been active on the trade front this season. And they still have another player or two who could be on the move. Fans should certainly keep an eye on Calgary between now and the NHL Trade Deadline.