Rumors have floated since prior to last season’s trade deadline about the potential for the Calgary Flames to move defenseman Rasmus Andersson, and it’s easy to understand why.
Andersson, who turns 29 in late October, will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season, and speculation is high that the nine-year veteran will not resign with the team that selected him in the second round of the 2015 draft. But in Andersson’s mind, perhaps now isn’t the best time for him to be negotiating for his next deal.
The 2024-25 season was admittedly not Andersson’s best. He did tie his career high by scoring 11 goals, but with just 20 assists, it was his worst offensive season since 2019-20, and he also finished near the bottom of the league in plus/minus. Talking to reporters on Tuesday while in town to participate in the 44th annual Calgary Flames Celebrity Charity Golf Classic, Andersson lamented the thought of arguing his worth under the current circumstances.
“Is it smart of me to resign now after last season? I don’t know,” Andersson recently asked a group of reporters. “I mean, I’ve read all season how much I suck. So it is what it is.”
Rasmus Andersson Likely to Enter Last Season of Contract With Uncertain Future
So it appears that Andersson will likely enter the last season of his six-year, $27.3 million contract with an uncertain future. He wouldn’t be the first player to face that type of situation, and in doing so, perhaps Andersson could boost his stock.
“I’ve just got to come out of the gates hot and worry about myself and get the team in the best position possible,” he said.
But have the Flames already missed their window of opportunity to land a strong trade return?
For the Flames, last season ended in a worst-case scenario when it came to trading Andersson. Calgary’s surprising playoff push kept them too close to the race at the deadline to justify moving a key piece like Andersson. But in the end, they fell agonizingly short — tied in points with St. Louis for the final spot, only to miss out on a tiebreaker.
Chris Johnston, senior hockey writer for The Athletic, said in the latest episode of “The Chris Johnston Show” podcast that Calgary’s too-little, too-late run may force the Flames to accept a less-than-desirable package for Andersson – if they choose to even trade him at all.
“It feels like, quite honestly, it would have been easier to move him last year,” the long-time journalist said.
“This is going to be a hard trade for the Flames to make at some point, because the reality is he is an unrestricted free agent as of July 1st, 2026. I don’t think anyone’s going to pay the kind of price that’s going to make the trade make sense to the Flames unless they know he’s signing with them, unless there’s an extension attached to it. You know, at his age, I just don’t see giving up a whole whack of assets and not knowing if he’s going to be around beyond next summer.”
Chasing a Playoff Spot Could Mean Letting Rasmus Andersson Walk
Potential trade destinations for Andersson have been a popular topic of conversation among NHL analysts throughout the offseason. Popular opinion has Andersson ticketed for a move to Vegas, although there have been no shortage of trade pitches involving other teams with a need for a boost on defense, such as Detroit, Toronto and Montreal.
Calgary general manager Craig Conroy has stated that the door is not closed on Andersson staying with the Flames. Andersson also noted his close relationship with Conroy and fondly recalled the memories made during his time with the team.
“I’ve grown up in this city,” he said, “and like I said at the press conference at the end of last year, I mean, I’ve loved every second of it, and that will never change.”
But the business side of the NHL intrudes, and Conroy may ultimately have to decide between keeping a player who would fill a crucial role in ending the Flames’ three-season playoff drought or avoiding the PR disaster of letting Andersson simply walk away when the season ends.
“I do think getting back to the playoffs is important to that organization,” Johnston said. “I’m not saying it’s most likely they just play it out with him, but you know, let’s see how this goes. It would be hard, it’d be a hard message to send to your dressing room if you were inside the playoffs and the deals aren’t that good for him because he is only maybe going to move as a rental and, I don’t know. You got to make that choice as a GM.”
Flames May Be Stuck in No-Man’s Land With Rasmus Andersson