Rasmus Andersson Will Begin the Season with the Calgary Flames
Bleacher Report Youtube: Frank Seravalli on Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson and if there is any update.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
“No, the Calgary Flames, I believe, they are totally content on starting the season with Rasmus Andersson. I think that kind of puts them in a little bit of a dangerous spot. What if the Flames are really competitive again? And let’s just create a hypothetical here. Let’s say the Flames are, it’s mid-February, the Flames haven’t traded Rasmus Andersson yet, and they are three points out of a playoff spot, or, let’s say they’re even in a playoff spot. Are they really going to be able to cut the legs out from under their team in that exact moment in time?
I know everyone says, Oh yeah, the plan is the plan, and we’re going to stick to it, but I think it creates an interesting dynamic heading into the season, and obviously going to be a talking point, since it’s August 22 and we’re talking about Rasmus Andersson still being a member of the Calgary Flames.
NHL Rumors: Where Things are at With the Calgary Flames and Rasmus Andersson
Calgary Hoping For The Best
I don’t want to say that the deals that were offered to Calgary this summer for Rasmus Andersson were underwhelming. I think everyone just also recognizes that when you trade for Rasmus Andersson, that also means that you need to pay him, and with that comes a whole different set of costs. It’s acquisition costs, plus the cost on your cap following that. But you would think that would be balanced out a little bit by the $4.5-$5 million that Andersson is making on the cap this year, such a strong value.
Maybe the best-case scenario for the Flames is that Anderson gets off to a hot start. He’s a little bit more productive and consistent than he was last season. I wouldn’t say it was a down year for him, but it was probably a relatively average year. This is a pretty consistent double-digit goal scorer from the blue line. He does play with a bit of an edge, and he’s going to be a tough guy for Calgary to replace.
Maybe they can thread this needle between helping their team get off to a decent start, allowing for some veteran experience in their lineup to take hold with some young guys that they’re introducing, and also get the return that they’re looking for, perhaps maybe hopefully, by the halfway point in the season, so that you don’t have to engage in that same type of dialog that I was just referencing a little bit earlier.”
NHLRumors.com Note:
Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy understands the value of Rasmus Andersson not only to his team, but on the open market considering he is a right-shot defenseman. There had been reports that he only wanted to go to the Vegas Golden Knights, where he would join his former teammate Noah Hanifin. Conroy would like to keep Andersson, as he hopes the Flames can have a similar season as they did last year.
NHL Rumors: Calgary Flames Not Trading Nazem Kadri Right Now
If Calgary wants to make the playoffs, keeping Andersson is part of the equation as it is with Nazem Kadri. Again, nothing is given in the NHL. Everyone assumes that Andersson is getting traded or leaving via free agency. He could sign an extension with the Flames like Brock Boeser did with the Vancouver Canucks. Remember, everyone thought Boeser was going, and he stayed, so that option is still in play.
But for now Rasmus Andersson is staying with the Flames to start the season.
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