Rasmus Andersson #4 of the Calgary Flames (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
As other NHL insiders have reported in the last 48 hours, RG has confirmed that the Calgary Flames are now taking calls on defenseman Rasmus Andersson.
“I know Craig’s phone is lighting up right now,” an NHL source said of Flames general manager Craig Conroy and the trade interest he’s receiving in Andersson.
By all accounts, the Flames and Andersson may be headed for a mutual parting of ways, as Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman first reported last Friday in his latest 32 Thoughts column: “On Rasmus Andersson: The feeling across the league is that the talented defenseman 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.”
The 28-year-old, right-shot defenseman is entering the final season of a six-year, $27.3 million deal that carries a $4.5 million cap hit. According to the source above, talks started to pick up over the weekend—and even more so on Monday.
“The Flames are definitely listening and exploring their options,” the source said. “I’m hearing the Blue Jackets, Red Wings, Canadiens, and Bruins have all looked into Andersson.”
Another NHL source told RG that the Ottawa Senators were also pursuing Andersson.
Neither source knew for sure what the Andersson camp is asking for on a new contract, but with the NHL salary cap expected to rise and plenty of teams needing a top-four right-shot defenseman, there will be teams willing to meet his salary demands. Out of the teams listed above, the Columbus Blue Jackets have the most cap space to spend. According to PuckPedia, the Blue Jackets currently have $40.4 million in projected cap space. The Bruins are at $23 million, the Red Wings at $21.3 million, the Senators at $10.7 million, and the Canadiens at $6.1 million.
As for the Senators, RG has previously reported that they have been coveting a right-shot defenseman since last offseason. Their second-pairing right-side defenseman this past season was Nick Jensen, but he is now a 35-year-old unrestricted free agent. It makes sense that the Senators would want to upgrade that spot with someone like Andersson.
Since racking up 46 assists and four goals for his best NHL season in 2021-22, Andersson’s point totals have declined each year. This past season, the 6-foot-1, 203-pound rearguard had 11 goals and 20 assists in 81 games. There’s still plenty of belief across the NHL, though, that he can be a high-end top-four defenseman.
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Marco D'Amico
