The biggest question mark for the Calgary Flames coming into the offseason was the status of top defenceman Rasmus Andersson. The 28-year-old has just one year remaining on his current contract and is set to hit free agency next summer. Up to now, there hasn’t been a whole lot of clarity on whether or not Andersson would remain in Calgary.
Well, it looks like we may have our answer courtesy of Elliotte Friedman’s 32 Thoughts article from Friday night. Here’s what the NHL’s top insider had to say.
“On Rasmus Andersson: the feeling across the league is the talented defenceman is ready for something new. I believe the Flames are willing, but only when they get what they want. There’s significant interest, which helps.”
It’s certainly not a mistake that Friedman mentioned Andersson’s status a week before the draft and as the very first rumour in his article. When Friedman says something, there’s usually a ton of smoke behind it.
The best call for both sides
Over the past few months, it’s been quite clear that the best decision for both Andersson and the team was likely a mutual parting of ways. Andersson has been a staple on the Flames roster for nearly a decade, but given his age and the amount of term he is likely to command, it just never made sense for a retooling team like the Flames to re-sign him.
With the organization looking to get younger and trying to build a competitive team for the 2027 opening of Scotia Place, moving Andersson for younger assets always seemed like the best path forward. Andersson can now sign a big ticket and go contend for a Stanley Cup to close out his career, while the Flames can look to the future. A win for all parties involved.
What it means for the Flames
With the news that Andersson is ready for a new challenge and unlikely to sign a new contract in Calgary, we finally have a clear direction on what happens next for the 2015 second-round pick and the Flames. The veteran will almost certainly be moved; it’s just a matter of when. It’s worth noting that Friedman also mentioned there is significant interest in Andersson around the league, meaning there will be no shortage of teams lining up to acquire his services. He also specifically mentioned Aaron Ekblad’s name in relation to the market for Andersson.
“Ekblad staying changes the defence market. It puts the Flames in even better position with Andersson”
With Ekblad looking like the top right-shot defenceman on the free agent market this offseason, where he lands could go a long way in determining Andersson’s immediate future. If the two-time champ decides to stay in Florida ahead of free agency, Andersson immediately becomes the top right-shot blueliner on the market. If Ekblad decides to test free agency, the Flames are likely better off waiting until he signs in order to move Andersson. There’s a good chance any teams who miss out on Ekblad will pivot to Andersson as their backup plan, upping his trade value and market.
Andersson’s current deal has a six-team no-trade list attached to it, so he does have a small amount of control over where he goes. Any team that is acquiring him will also likely have a contract extension attached to the deal, meaning the Flames will have to cater to Andersson a bit in order to get the best return.
With that said, the 28-year-old is currently on a bargain contract that could have a cap hit as low as $2.275 million next year with retention. There will be a ton of teams who can make room to acquire him, which should certainly help Craig Conroy in his search for the best possible return.
A busy week ahead
With the busiest week of the NHL calendar on tap to close out the month of June, all eyes will be on Craig Conroy as he very likely holds the top blueline trade chip in the entire league right now. It’s now up to Craig Conroy to gauge the market and bring in the best possible return for his team as they continue to build for the future.
