The rumours have been circulating about Rasmus Andersson’s future all season this year, but have taken on a new level through the offseason. While some reports earlier in the offseason seemed to suggest he may stay a Flame on a longer-term deal, more recent reports have suggested the opposite- that Andersson is on his way out.
Elliotte Friedman hinted at it in last week’s 32 Thoughts written version when he wrote:
“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.”
Today’s 32 Thoughts Podcast all but confirmed that.
What did Elliotte Friedman say about Rasmus Andersson?
This week’s podcast was even clearer. He started by saying that typically in contract negotiations, both sides put stakes in the ground higher or lower than where they would want, then push back and forth until they reached a midpoint, but Andersson’s situation was different:
“This is one of those things when you have a player and a team that know each other really well… The player knows what he’s worth, the team knows what he’s worth… [and] I don’t know what the numbers were here, but I heard they were so far apart that… you just know it’s time
This is a situation where Friedman alludes to the player’s camp putting out an offer that was much higher than what Calgary would reasonably pay, and that the number that the player wanted was more a signal that it was time to part ways than a contract offer that would have been reasonable.
While this may seem like bad faith, both sides have been connected for a decade since the Flames drafted the Swedish blueliner in the second round of the 2015 draft, and this is more about everyone wanting to move on.
Friedman goes further to say:
“I don’t think there’s any hard feelings here… they’ve been together for a long time. I don’t think he has anything bad to say about Calgary. I don’t think they [the team] have anything bad to say about him, but you get to a point where it’s time… It’s time for something new for him.”
What happens to Rasmus Andersson?
Realistically, the Flames move on from Andersson sooner rather than later, but it depends on what offers appear for Calgary on him. The only similar player on the market right now is Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers, but if rumours are to be believed, he’s likely staying put in the Sunshine State.
Friedman goes on to say that while there’s a chance the Flames open the season with Andersson on the roster, there is serious interest in the Flames’ blueliner right now. Many teams look at him as the type of player that will make most teams better, and on top of that, he’s a player who gives a fan base hope and helps sell tickets. Someone is going to bite on Andersson.
This piece in particular screams of a team that needs to take a step forward this season. Teams like the Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings and more feel like natural destinations for Andersson this season. Andersson will leave a hole on the Flames’ blueline, but they do have Hunter Brzustewicz and Zayne Parekh in the pipeline who are going to hopefully be impact NHLers in a few years.
If this is the end of the Andersson era in Calgary, it’s been one heck of a ride. Andersson has been outstanding for this team since he arrived in the city and has been a fan favourite for his on-ice play and off-ice personality. Hopefully, whatever the Flames get back in return can make up for his departure.
