Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund confirmed that the NHL rumor mill has churned out something factual, telling reporters at the European Player Media Tour that teammate Rasmus Andersson is on his way out, which makes him the most coveted defenseman on the trade market.
Backlund's comments just verify the suspicion that many people have been speculating about for months, adding that "it's too bad it came to this." Andersson's name has routinely been brought up in trade rumors for quite some time now, but it's particularly rare for a player to come out and state the facts in a case like this.
"Yeah, he’s getting traded. It’s obvious. But the team wants value. He wants a big contract. So he wants to play well. "Flames captain Mikael Backlund
Andersson himself addressed the whispers at his exit interview in April, when he told the media that "I love putting on that red jersey every time I come in here. That’s never gonna change… [but] I don’t know what’s gonna happen, honestly." He is entering the final year of his six-year, $4.55 million AAV contract with the Flames.
Now that it's been firmly established that Andersson is a trade candidate, there are no doubt clubs lining up to acquire him, and these are the teams that would be the best fit for the 28-year-old defenseman.
Vegas Golden Knights
With the unfortunate news that Alex Pietrangelo might be retiring from hockey due to serious health issues, the Golden Knights are in the market for a top four blueliner, and Andersson fits the bill. He's a right-handed shot, which is always an attractive feature for a defenseman. Andersson plays with a skillful offensive mindset while still having the ability to play the body, skate in all situations, and chip in on the scoresheet with 30 or more points per season.
The price tag might be somewhat of an issue, as Andersson would likely command a high draft pick along with two prospects who offer the offensive upside that Calgary is looking for. But there's also the fact that the Golden Knights will need to finagle cap space. If the Flames are willing to retain 50 percent of Andersson's salary, that still leaves them needing to dump around $1 million in cap space elsewhere.
Andersson would be a huge help on the Golden Knights' penalty kill, which finished 26th in the league at 75.7%. He blocked 196 shots this past season, which is 30 more than the Golden Knights' leader, Brayden McNabb, and he would also be a one-for-one replacement for Pietrangelo who produced nearly identical totals on the scoresheet this year. This is the most likely destination for Andersson and one that makes sense considering his potential role on the team.
Los Angeles Kings
There was buzz that the Kings had a deal on the table earlier this summer which Andersson denied thanks to his six-team no trade clause. However, Andersson himself would not confirm this in a Swedish-language interview with Expressen, saying "only I know [what team it was]. Some team made a very good offer."
In any case, the Kings have been repeatedly tied to Andersson over recent months. It makes sense, given the fact that there's an opening on the second pairing alongside Joel Edmundson right now. Especially with Drew Doughty missing more than half of this past season due to an ankle injury, Andersson would have no problem replacing him on the top pairing if need be, as he averages close to 24 minutes per game on a yearly basis.
Los Angeles is in a similar financial situation to the Kings where they have just about $2.7 million remaining, but that is manageable by giving up a few prospects and possibly having Calgary retain a small amount of Andersson's salary. As far as his long-term future in LA, Anze Kopitar's $7 million contract is coming off of the books next summer with a potential retirement in sight, which opens the door for Andersson to sign a large contract extension before hitting the free agent market.
Carolina Hurricanes
Looking at the Hurricanes' defensive pairs right now, Andersson is the perfect option for the team's top four. With Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov both departing the club in free agency, Carolina needs another viable second-pairing body, and Andersson offers exactly that -- plus so much more. Between his smooth passing and affinity for winning puck battles in the zone, Andersson's well-rounded style of play would be a seamless fit behind Jaccob Slavin and K'Andre Miller.
The good news is that the Hurricanes have an abundance of draft picks and prospects to package up a tempting offer, as well a cap room to accommodate Andersson's contract while simultaneously planning for the future with a big contract extension at some point during the season.
Carolina has been one of the Eastern Conference's top contenders over recent seasons, and the addition of one more solid defenseman could be what puts the team over the edge. Andersson's skill as a puck mover would certainly help drive the team's offense, which was lacking during the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers. Another skater who can be fluid with the puck and find smart outlet passes would make a world of difference in their already-solid transition game.
You can expect Andersson to be dealt sometime leading up to the Trade Deadline in March of 2026.