With the Olympic trade freeze approaching, the likelihood of trade activity picking up across the NHL is prominent. The Calgary Flames are especially a team to watch out for, as they’ve been in the thick of trade rumors ever since their miserable start to the season.
A name that has been mentioned over and over again is Rasmus Andersson. It’s well known that the Swedish defenceman is bound to get traded eventually, as it’s only a matter of when. A couple of days ago, we saw a major blockbuster trade involving another Pacific Division team in the Vancouver Canucks, trading star defenceman Quinn Hughes. According to one insider, since that trade took place, interest in Andersson has been increasing across the league.
The market for Andersson is starting to heat up
During the latest edition of TSN’s Insider Trading, insider Pierre LeBrun stated that after the Hughes trade, the Flames received more calls regarding the availability of Andersson. It makes sense given how Andersson is the top defenceman on the trade market as of right now. As interest picks up, the Flames are sure to receive plenty of offers for the 29-year-old, hoping they find one where they can pull the trigger.
LeBrun also mentioned that among the teams that are interested in Andersson, the Toronto Maple Leafs have circled back regarding their desire to acquire Andersson. We know that the Leafs previously tried to acquire Andersson last deadline, and LeBrun believes that Toronto would be a destination where Andersson would be willing to sign a contract extension.
I don’t see how the Leafs get this done personally. We keep beating a dead horse by saying this, but the Leafs have little to no assets of value for an Andersson trade. As far as when he gets dealt, it’s hard to say. It really depends on how many offers the Flames receive from teams and the quality of the assets that are in discussion. We’ll see where this goes, but if the Flames can get a deal done sooner rather than later, nobody would be complaining.
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