There has been no shortage of trade speculation coming from Calgary this season. Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm have already been moved while Chris Tanev, Noah Hanifin, and Jacob Markstrom are all in the rumor mill as well. But those aren’t the only players teams are calling about as ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports (Twitter link) that the Flames are also receiving trade interest in defenseman Rasmus Andersson.
The 27-year-old has become a top-pairing player in recent seasons after putting up 50 points in 2021-22 and 49 points in 2022-23 while logging big minutes. This year, Andersson’s numbers are down a bit as he has 28 points through 51 games so far but is averaging a little over 24 minutes a night and is playing in all situations. With 122 blocks, he’s only 14 shy of his career-high on that front as well.
On top of that, Andersson has a contract that certainly has been well below market value as of late. He’s signed through the 2025-26 campaign with a $4.5MM cap hit, a price point that’s more commensurate with a second-pairing player than a top-pairing one. Getting someone with that type of surplus value would make a lot of sense for many teams.
Of course, holding onto a player like that also makes sense for Calgary. GM Craig Conroy indicated earlier this week that he doesn’t intend for the Flames to go into a full-scale rebuild. It’s one thing to move players on expiring contracts as they’ve done twice so far and could do twice more with Tanev and Hanifin where you risk losing the player for free in free agency but it’s another to move a controllable key asset like Andersson.
Accordingly, it would be surprising to see Conroy move Andersson in the three weeks before the March 8th trade deadline unless the return was simply too good to pass up on. However, that won’t stop teams from inquiring in the hopes that they can come up with an offer that would make Calgary part with one of its top blueliners.
They’d certainly get a massive return. Flames have the pieces to speed run a rebuild even with tbe Huberdeau disaster on the books. But it’s hard to sell to a Canadian fanbase
If Montreal fans can handle it, every other Canadian fanbase can do likewise (competence dependent)
I don’t agree in the slightest, Flames fans are begging them to rebuild. They know they don’t have any superstars on the roster or coming up and know that in todays game you need at least 1 to be a good team long term
If flames trade Haniffn, Anderson, Tanev and Markstrom they could legit have like 6 first round picks this year
Who are they trading them to individually to gain all those 1sts? And in 3-4 years how do they afford all six on 2nd contracts with their current group of long term big contracts + guys like Zary, Coronato, Wolf, ect needing big raises. You need some staggering of contracts. 6 big at one time won’t be successful.
Well not all have to be this year. Like Toronto did last deadline with next years first. Also better to hope that all 6 pan out than all fail but chances are 3 outta 6 become regular NHLers. Not every 1st round pick means superstar just a chance of one. Who cares about the cap after all those guys are gone they’ve got JH, Kadri, Coleman and Weager locked up long term. And if it turns out those guys want a rebuild 2 of them are easily traded for an absolute HAUL and Kadri could probably find a home too. Out of the 3 kids listed only Zary is on pace to actually get a decent raise but again the flames are currently in a position where they’d be happy to have to pay all these guys cause guess what it means their good!
Also, the draft this year is considered top heavy. the top 14 are considered sure things. After that it’s question marks. Any extra picks could be question marks. And majority of the rumors for those guys is at a late 1st-early 2nd plus extras. I doubt the Flames come out with more than 3 1sts this year come draft day. And considering their history of 1st round picks, it’s doubtful they do much with them.
1st round picks don’t necessarily need to picked either. Can potentially be used in trades to aquire other talent as well.
The Flames, Washington, And Pittsburgh all headed for rebuilds.
Also, water is wet.
That one got me man lol
Are you questioning Wilf’s infinite wisdom? How dare you.
Would a Niemela, Liljegren, Robertson for Rasmus work? 3 good young players and Lil can step right in and play 18-19 min on D. Or would a 1sr also need to be added?
PLD, Rittich, Grundstrom for Markstrom, Andersson.
PLD ain’t being traded. He signed that deal specifically for LA.