The Golden Knights have acquired defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Flames in a move now announced by both teams. In exchange, Calgary receives defenseman Zach Whitecloud, Vegas’ 2027 first-round pick, a conditional 2027 second-round pick, and the signing rights to University of North Dakota defender Abram Wiebe.
If the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup this year, that 2027 second-rounder will upgrade to a 2028 first-round pick. Calgary is retaining 50% of Andersson’s $4.55MM cap hit in the deal, Friedman adds, bringing his impact down to just $2.275MM on Vegas’ books this season. Vegas’ 2027 first-rounder is also top-10 protected, Dreger notes.
It’s far from a stunning move. Andersson was first implicated in trade talks nearly two full calendar years ago. Ever since, Vegas has been one of the teams most consistently linked to the right-shot blue liner. That’s only ramped up since this past offseason, when reports indicated Nevada was the Swede’s preferred long-term destination and, naturally, would yield a larger return for Calgary because he’d be willing to sign an extension with the Knights. However, any extension won’t be registered today – David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports there’s no new contract in place at this time.
That means Andersson, 29, is still set to reach unrestricted free agency this summer as the top defenseman available – for now. He is in the final season of the six-year, $27.3MM extension he signed with Calgary in January 2020, coming off his entry-level contract. A second-round pick by the Flames in 2015, his tenure in Calgary ends with him seventh on the franchise defenseman leaderboard in games played (584), sixth in assists (204), and sixth in points (261).
Back in training camp, it looked like the Flames’ ongoing retool had removed any possibility of their top-four anchor remaining in Calgary. Captain Mikael Backlund said in August that Andersson didn’t want his future to be a “distraction” but that a trade was inevitable. Talk of separation softened after he reported to camp, with reports indicating he’d reopened extension talks. Over the past few days, though, it became clear the Flames had received the type of trade offers they wanted and would pull the trigger on a deal.
The other team that was in it to the wire – as late as this morning – was the Bruins. According to Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic, the Flames gave Andersson permission to discuss an extension with Boston, presumably upon which the deal was contingent. They weren’t able to come to an agreement on a contract, though, putting Vegas back in the driver’s seat despite the Golden Knights not being able to talk contract with Andersson’s camp prior to the deal. If Andersson’s long-reported interest in Vegas is true, though, they shouldn’t have much trouble coming to a resolution before July 1.
The Flames’ retool is only further accelerated by the move. They already owned Vegas’ first-round pick this year as a result of 2024’s Noah Hanifin trade, giving them four guaranteed first-rounders over the next two drafts. If the Knights take home the Cup, they’ll have six first-rounders in the next three years.
Those hopefully high-value draft choices are the principal point of the return for the Flames. Whitecloud’s inclusion in the deal primarily serves as cap management for Vegas, but also gives the Flames a stable veteran option to, in part, replace Andersson’s minutes as they try to avoid overloading their young blue line talent too early in their development.
Whitecloud, 29, signed with the Knights as an undrafted free agent out of Bemidji State in 2018 and has thus remained in the organization since its inaugural season. The 6’2″ 210-lb righty has posted some tough numbers this season but has 78 points and a +42 rating in 368 games for his career, serving as their staple third-pairing option on the right side behind Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore for the past several seasons. With Pietrangelo injured, he’d been averaging 18:46 of ice time per game this season, nearly a career-high.
Wiebe, 22, isn’t without ceiling, either. The nephew of longtime Blackhawks defenseman Keith Brown was a seventh-round pick by Vegas in 2022 but has since gone on to put up some solid numbers with the Fighting Hawks. He’s now in his junior season, is an alternate captain, and has scored 48 points with a +13 rating in 102 games on North Dakota’s blue line. He owns a pro-ready 6’3″, 209-lb frame, giving him a legitimate shot at being a mobile piece near the bottom of Calgary’s lineup in the next few years.
For the Knights, acquiring Andersson means they’re back to their ethos of big in-season swings after taking last year off. Their acquisition of a high-end right-shot defender was a foregone conclusion ever since it was announced that Pietrangelo wouldn’t play this season, with his career likely over due to various lingering injuries.
They get a resurgent name in Andersson, who’ll be heading to the Olympics with Sweden. With 10 goals and 30 points in 48 games this season, he’s 20th in the league in scoring among defenders and immediately becomes the Knights’ leader in overall production from the blue line.
The question becomes how his defensive game will slot in on a Vegas club that’s been above-average in the possession department this year. He’s coming off a -38 rating last season and has posted negative relative Corsi shares at 5-on-5 in nine of his 10 NHL seasons, including this one. Might he be eating into the already sheltered offensive zone minutes that his now-reunited teammate Hanifin has been receiving?
Nonetheless, it’s nearly impossible to criticize the deal from Vegas’ perspective. They’ve already got a clear path to a deep playoff run through a weak Pacific Division but, with Pietrangelo gone and Theodore and Brayden McNabb missing significant time this year, have lacked the identity that their historically overloaded top-four group has provided. Now, that blue line power is back with Andersson, Hanifin, McNabb, and Theodore comprising one of the most experienced and dynamic groups in the league.
They also do so while actually increasing their cap space for this season. Whitecloud was signed through next season at a $2.75MM cap hit, so Vegas frees up nearly $500K in space with this deal.
Image courtesy of Brett Holmes-Imagn Images.
Darren Dreger of TSN was the first to report that Andersson was going to Vegas. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was the first with the trade details.
The Bruins be like ‘what?’
Earlier reports said deal to B’s was contingent on an extension, so they were probably fully aware. Sweeney probably would have screwed it up anyway…lol.
Sweeney is actually very good at making solid trades. It’s his/their drafting that had been pretty poor
Oh thank God. Seriously, McAvoy-Lindholm-Zadorov-Lohrei: the Bruins don’t NEED a top four defenseman. Andersson wouldn’t have moved the needle that much for them, not nearly enough for the cost. What Boston really COULD use is either a solid top-six scoring forward or a better backup goaltender.
looks like a pretty decent return for Calgary
I don’t hate this for Calgary. Especially since he probably wasn’t gonna resign anyway
Well-done, Flames!
If VGK don’t extend him, this feels like an overpay.
How do the Knights always pull this off year after year with their cap? I guess it’s Stone’s turn for his vacation and will come back for the playoffs. Sickening!!!!
That loophole was closed when the past CBA was signed. So Vegas won’t be over the cap during the playoffs.
Because they have the best GM in hockey.
not even close to the best, they have no farm system at all and always trade their picks. they have too many aging expensive contracts that will be completely unmovable, Hertl and Stone are 2 good examples that wont look good in a year or 2
Best GM resides in Sunrise, Florida
Sour grapes of an online GM vs a real GM.
Agreed…For Now. San Jose is building a bully! Grier took some grief for taken on so much money, but in the last 3 years, he has hitting triples with virtually every move…of course Maklin is perhaps a generational player. #Sharks
Their GM has never heard of the NHLs central trade registry…
If you understood cap management you would not be angry, bitter, nor sick.
You and your clan tell us this every season. When are you going to be correct?
Vegas came through the back door and took Rasmus Andersson right from underneath Boston’s hands.
Vegas is giving up a good bit for Andersson especially not having an extension in place. So it’s a bit of a gamble for Vegas (no pun intended). Vegas will only have $5.14M in cap space this offseason as they’ll need to make accommodations in order to make room. Moving William Karlsson’s $5.9M and/or Alex Pietrangelo‘s $8.8M cap hit(s) would be a start as they also have other UFAs and RFAs to sign this offseason.
Not really, it was always contingent on getting an extension for Boston. Andersson wanted Vegas so was probably going for an overpay to accept an extension from the B’s.
It don’t matter how you dice it. Boston was in the driver seat and got ejected from it and Vegas took control and took it over the finish line. So, yeah, I’m pretty much right.
Well, I guess if you can pretend to be an insider, you can pretend that you are always right. That said, you are much more entertaining when you are yelling and screaming about the Panthers.
This sucks lol. Vegas will just keep getting players to come over. It also doesn’t make sense to me why he’d want to go to Vegas, but not LA. Sounds salty, and it is, but I don’t get it lol
The main reason…TAXES
Nevada has no State Income Tax,that’s why so many players/Free Agents go to sign there. He rebuffed LA’s offer last Trade Deadline and made it clear he would not sign with LAK.
Vegas overpay, Anderson is good but Calgary got assets as if they traded a superstar on an expiring deal, Anderson is solid but he is not really a star
But all Vegas needs is solid.
If you believe that this was an overpay, that would seem to say that you believe that they could have gotten him for less. Please explain how much less they could have spent to acquire him and why they did not do so.
Hello Colorado Vegas 2026 WCF
Love this deal for CGY what a haul. And all that for an alright Dman in an expiring contract.
Can’t stand Vegas. Would love for this to backfire. Their aging roster is going to hit a wall eventually.
You or your ancestors told us this in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. Is this the year your cut/paste job works in your favor?
As a die-hard King’s fan, I’m livid and jealous because VGK have the best GM in hockey. McCrimmon always finds a way. Kudos, you sunsobitches.
well cap circumventing will be gone after this year, and they have too many players that are older still locked in long term that will cripple them in the long run, Stone and Hertl are 2 good examples. their Cup window is closing
Please tell us where the cap is being circumvented. Thanks.
didn’t say theyre doing it right now, but they have a history of it. you always seem to get rage baited on this site XD
Please provide evidence of any cap circumvention in the past and why there was never any penalty for doing so. Thanks.
I called it! To Vegas he went for Whitecloud, a 1st, and another pick or a prospect I said! But they got another pick AND a prospect.
The Flames, who publicly refuse to admit to a rebuild, appear to be doing a much better effort at it than recently dragged to the party Canucks; Calgary will have multiply first round picks for the foreseeable future, just as they’ve had for the past 2 drafts. Vancouver just last year traded away a first, just as they’ve done for almost the past 3 years… Good job Conroy!
Throw in that Calgary got a conditional first for a lesser defenceman – a classic rental to boot – while ol’ man Rutherford took Guerin’s first offer without question & didn’t think of tagging something on if the Wild win.
“Darren Dreger of TSN was the first to report that Andersson was going to Vegas. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was the first with the trade details.”
And, 19 guys ahead of me were FIRST to comment on this. (I’ve been yapping to SN960 during Flames’ games from my side of the interweb radio for a while this year on this topic).
@Mac – Truth be told, I said this would happen yesterday at the gym. But do I get a mention in this article? Nada! 🤬😄
@Gbear – I would’ve given you the shout-out in a heartbeat! Unfortunately, I was in the middle of an annoying OS migration on my PC. I’m going to do what any good hockey fan would in this situation: blame this monkey — 🙈
Great organization, Great management, Great climate, Emphasis on winning, That’s what Vegas has done from the beginning, Players can walk down the street, And be left alone, Nothing like Toronto, Or Montreal, Or Ottawa, Or Winnipeg, Or Edmonton, Or Calgary, Or Vancouver.
Wow, and Vegas didn’t even give up Trevor Connelly in the deal. Vegas always gets their man!
Great job by Calgary got great value for ufa. Let the trades begin..
And people were jeering at me for suggesting that the Rangers shouldn’t even bother with less than two first rounders for Artemi F’n Panarin. (chuckles)
Nha, people jeer you simply because you seem to offer up a daily invitation to do so. Play on.
Vegas’ problem is in the net. That’s because McCrimmon traded away Logan Thompson for two 3rd’s.
I can’t see them winning the Cup this year with the goalies they’ve got. With Thompson though, they would have had a good chance.
Hart is probably they’re best option in net forsure but you’re right their goaltending is very mid and Hart and Hill especially have frequent injury history
I dunno,Adin Hill backstopped them to a Stanley Cup just 3 Seasons ago.
That was quite a nice pick of Wiebe in the 7th round by Vegas. I guess the Blackhawks didn’t know about him even though he is the nephew of a long time top 4 d man, a former #1 pick, Keith Brown. Chicago just couldn’t pass up that top Finnish prospect Tohila 10 picks earlier. When you draft well like Vegas, you can use late round assets in deals like this.
The Blackhawks have a top farm system anyways and will likely have to trade assets as there’s definitely a roadblock for some, Boisvert is one that likely would get traded unless someone on the roster is dealt by then, Bedard, Nazar, are here for the long run and Moore is looking that way too, Frondell can play Center but will likely slot in on the Wing, Kantserov and Lardis are probably here for the long run too.
The Blackhawks do have a good problem to have, doubtful Dallas would trade Robertson to a division rival if they cant fit him into their tight cap but the Hawks do have all the assets to acquire a big name when they decide the rebuild is over