The Calgary Flames are expected to move defencemen Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin ahead of the March 8 trade deadline, but they may not be the only ones. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes got some conversations started recently when he sent out a tweet saying that several teams around the league have expressed interest in Rasmus Andersson.
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Andersson, unlike Tanev and Hanifin, has term remaining on his contract, as he is locked up through the 2025-26 season. Even more appealing is that he is on a very team-friendly deal, carrying a cap hit of just $4.55 million. He is a defenceman every team in the league would like to get their hands on, though moving him may make sense for the Flames.
Since taking over, general manager (GM) Craig Conroy has been retooling his roster on the fly and will continue to do so by trading Hanifin and Tanev. Trading both will give the Flames more prospects and draft picks, and that’s for two players set to be UFAs this summer. Andersson, who is leading the Flames in ice time this season, would net a huge return, going a long way in helping this team become contenders in the not-so-distant future. Should he indeed get dealt, here are three teams that would line up as good fits.
Toronto Maple Leafs
It’s no secret that Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving wants to upgrade his blue line, though he is hesitant to give up much for a rental. That wouldn’t be an issue for Andersson, given his contract status, as he would help the Leafs for the following two seasons as well. His low cap hit would also be huge for the Leafs, who need upgrades on the back end but are in a tough spot to do so, given how much they are paying some of their top forwards.
Treliving would know exactly the player he is getting in Andersson, as he drafted him in 2015 and spent several seasons watching him develop into the impressive talent he is now. Andersson would not only have the Leafs give up the 2024 first-round pick they have been reluctant to move, but they could also land a very good young forward, such as Matthew Knies. Twenty-four-year-old defenceman Timothy Liljegren could also get moved to help balance things out from a cap perspective.
Edmonton Oilers
Making trades with a divisional rival is usually a no-go, but Conroy hasn’t been afraid to do so, with both of his deals this season having been with the Vancouver Canucks. The Edmonton Oilers, much like the Leafs, are in need of an upgrade on their blue line, particularly on the right side. They have also had issues doing so because of the cap, making Andersson’s deal one they would love to get on the books.
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The Oilers don’t have much in terms of cap space, meaning they would need to send a roster player back. A name that could make sense in that regard is Cody Ceci, who has a cap hit of $3.25 million that expires after 2024-25. Of course, moving Ceci would simply be for the money to work, and the Oilers would have to part with far more. They have their first-round pick in both the 2024 and 2025 drafts and also have some intriguing young talent. A defenceman such as Philip Broberg would help replenish the Flames’ back end, but if they were to prefer someone up front, Dylan Holloway could be up for grabs.
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a strong contender in the Western Conference and are expected to remain so for years to come. They have a very impressive forward group, along with one of the game’s best young goaltenders in Jake Oettinger. Their blue line, however, despite possessing talents such as Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley, is thin.
A current roster player would have to be moved in this trade for cap purposes as well. Radek Faska would make sense, as he only has one additional year on his contract with a $3.25 million cap hit. Like the Oilers, the Stars have their first-round pick in each of the next two drafts. They also have centre prospect Logan Stankoven, who, at just 21 years old, has 57 points in 46 AHL games. He may be too much to ask for, but it doesn’t hurt for the Flames to inquire.
Flames in No Rush to Deal Andersson
Despite the rumours surrounding Andersson, there is by no means a guarantee that he will get moved before the trade deadline. In fact, given his contract status and how big of a name he is, a trade in the offseason may be more likely. That said, if Conroy does elect to move him at any point, he should have little problem getting a big haul for the Swedish defenceman.