LAS VEGAS — Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon knew it was unlikely that defenseman Rasmus Andersson would last through the Olympic break, and if he wanted to bolster his defensive pairings, he’d have to act quickly.
Thus, as he’s done so many other times since the team entered the league in 2017, McCrimmon made a midseason splash by acquiring a highly sought-after player in time for another playoff push.
Vegas added the 29-year-old offensive blue liner Sunday in exchange for defenseman Zach Whitecloud, prospect Abram Wiebe, a conditional first-round pick in 2027 and a conditional second-rounder in 2028.
“I think in Rasmus, we get a high-end defenseman,” McCrimmon said Monday before the Knights’ 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. “He’s drives possession, he can make plays, he’s good in transition, he’s aggressive in the offensive zone — we think he’s really going to add to our hockey club.”
The Flames agreed to retain 50% of the remainder of Andersson’s salary in the final season of a six-year, $27.3 million contract.
“To be able to get it done with Vegas, they were willing to do it and do it without a contract because that was one thing that was made clear to us just in the last, maybe 12 hours, was there wasn’t going to be an extension signed with any of the teams,” Flames general manager Craig Conroy said. “That definitely changed the way we had to negotiate and what we got back in return.”
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McCrimmon said Andersson was someone the organization became interested in during the offseason, and when the 10-year veteran’s conversations with Calgary about an extension failed, trade discussions began.
Knowing Vegas was interested, and recognizing Andersson is representing Sweden in next month’s Olympics, it became imperative for the Flames to make a move before the break.
“He plays a hard game,” McCrimmon said. “An injury, I think, became a real issue for Calgary. I felt for a while that the longest Calgary would go before trading Rasmus would be the Olympic break. Because I don’t think if you’re in their position, you want the player going to the Olympics, potentially risking injury, and cost them a significant opportunity.”
McCrimmon said the team is “working through (Andersson’s) immigration right now,” and until it is clarified, there is no timetable for when he will make his debut with the Knights.
When he does, Andersson should reunite with defenseman Noah Hanifin, who spent five-plus seasons in Calgary, before being traded to Vegas in March 2024.
“He’s a gamer, he’s always engaged, he’s competitive,” Hanifin said. “I’d say he’s more of a puck mover, offensive guy, but he defends hard. He plays the game hard. And we want to be a good defensive team, so I think he’s gonna fit in well in that area.”
Andersson has played in all of Calgary’s 48 games this season, recording 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) while boasting a plus-3 rating. Andersson’s 30 points were the most among Calgary’s defensemen, while his 10 goals are tied for eighth among all NHL defensemen.
