Trade Alert: Habs and Flames hook up on another deal

According to a report from NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Calgary Flames have traded defenseman Brett Kulak to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defenseman Matt Taormina and Rinat Valiev.

More to come as details emerge.

UPDATE:

The Habs have now confirmed the deal.

 

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Read below for the full press release courtesy of the Habs' official website:

BROSSARD - General manager Marc Bergevin announced on Monday that the Canadiens have acquired defenseman Brett Kulak from the Calgary Flames in exchange for defensemen Matt Taormina and Rinat Valiev.

A fourth-round pick of the Flames in 2012, Kulak has played 101 career NHL games, amassing two goals and 11 points. 

The 24-year-old Edmonton native played 71 games with the Flames last season, collecting two goals and eight points.

Kulak will report to the AHL's Laval Rocket.

For his part, Taormina played 63 games for the Rocket last season, amassing four goals and 52 points.

Valiev, meanwhile, was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in late February and played five games with the Rocket. He also played two games with the Canadiens.

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The Flames have also confirmed the deal, read below for their official press release:

The Calgary Flames announced today that they have acquired defencemen Rinat Valiev and Matt Taormina from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defenceman Brett Kulak.

Rinat Valiev, a 23-year-old native of Nizhnekamsk, Russia, was originally draft in the third round (68th overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He spent 40 games with the AHL's Toronto Marlies netting five goals and adding 10 assists for 15 points and 26 penalty minutes before being moved at the trade deadline to Montreal where he played an additional five games with the Laval Rockets, scoring once and adding a pair of assists. He also played two games with the Montreal Canadiens during the 2017-18 season.

RINAT VALIEV - DEFENCEMAN

BORN: Nizhnekamsk, RUS DATE: May 11, 1995

HEIGHT: 6'3'' WEIGHT: 214 lbs.

SHOOTS: Left

Matt Taormina, a 31-year-old native of Warren, MI, was the third highest scoring defenceman in the American Hockey League last season where he put up four goals and 48 assists for 52 points in 63 games with Montreal's AHL affiliate, the Laval Rockets. The veteran blueliner with over 550 games of pro experience was an AHL first team all-star and was awarded the Eddie Shore award as the AHL's best defenceman in 2017.

MATT TAORMINA - DEFENCEMAN

BORN: Warren, MI DATE: October 20, 1986

HEIGHT: 5'10'' WEIGHT: 190 lbs.

SHOOTS: Left