The Boston Bruins, winners of five straight games, could reportedly be close on a massive trade for Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson.
Andersson, 29, will become a pending unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and is the top rental option available for trade.
Boston's won five straight games, all at home and in regulation, and are on the prowl looking to improve their team, whether it's a right-shot defenseman or a top-six winger.
Andersson is one of the best two-way defenseman in the entire league, with his shutdown capabilities pairing well with his offensive capabilities.
Andersson topped 30+ points in four straight seasons, including two seasons at 49 and 50 points when Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov were his teammates during the 2021-22 and 2022–23 seasons.
The biggest cause of smoke this morning came from Elliotte Friedman's 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, where he delved deep into the talks between Boston and Calgary:
"There's been some reports this week about Boston," Friedman said. "I definitely think the Bruins are involved. I think they're in there. The toughest thing is always to tell where it is at a particular moment. When it comes to the Bruins and the Flames, I've heard it's on, it's off, it's on, it's off. I know there were some people who thought at one time it was pretty close, then it backed away. We'll see where it goes. There definitely is mutual interest there... I think too if Boston did it, I would suspect it would be with an extension."
It's an absolutely massive rumor, one that's coming to a head. Friedman also reported that the Flames and Andersson want to get a deal done before the Olympic Break, as it's taken a toll on both parties.
Pierre LeBrun reported this morning that talks heated up further for Andersson without citing a destination, and implied the deal could get done in the next 24–48 hours.
If Boston is the team that lands him, it would be a massive boon for Boston. It's strikingly similar to when Boston swung deep for Hampus Lindholm in 2022, and immediately extended the defender.
Andersson would likely come in at the cost of one of Boston's two 2026 first-round picks, a young roster player (Mason Lohrei could make sense here), and another smaller piece or two.
Andersson's current cap hit comes in at just over $4.5 million, with Lohrei's, for example, sitting at $3.2 million. Boston would need to clear slightly more money to make it work if Calgary does not retain any money on the deal.
Acquiring Andersson would likely push Andrew Peeke out of the lineup, so its possible Boston could include him in the deal for monetary purposes, and have a defensive corps that looks like this at full health:
Hampus Lindholm - Charlie McAvoy
Nikita Zadorov - Rasmus Andersson
Jonathan Aspirot - Henri Jokiharju
It's also extremely possible Boston keeps the emerging Jonathan Aspirot with Charlie McAvoy and Zadorov with Henri Jokiharju, with a lineup looking like this:
Jonathan Aspirot - Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm - Rasmus Anderson
Nikita Zadorov - Henri Jokiharju
Any way you line it up, it's one of the best defensive corps in the entire league. Having Andersson reunited with Zadorov, or skating with fellow Swede Lindholm, vastly improves Boston's defensive unit.
Andersson would figure to assume power play duties for the second unit, with Jokiharju another potential candidate to do so.
The cost of acquisition and potential extension will be high, no question. But with David Pastrnak, Jeremy Swayman, and McAvoy all in their primes, there's absolutely no reason not go all-in and lock in another elite defender.
Teams already are struggling to score on this team. Imagine it with an even better defensive corps.
Friedman also reported the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars are clear options, and you'd think if they're involved, it would make this pretty tough for Boston to win. Both Vegas and Dallas are clear-cut Stanley Cup contenders.
Boston would not do this trade without an extension, so if Andersson says he won't extend or that he prefers Vegas or Dallas, it would kill this trade and rumor in its crib.
What it shows, however, is that Don Sweeney is being aggressive trying to improve this team as it continues to push and sits in a playoff spot.
The Bruins could use Andersson, and he'd fit the system quite well. Right now it seems to be more of a matter of where the player wants to go, as opposed to getting a deal done with Calgary.
If the deal doesn't happen with the Bruins, it'll be very interesting to see where the Bruins pivot. Artemi Panarin could become a perfect option for this team if the Rangers decide to sell, but there are significant financial hurdles to clear in order for that trade to happen.
Panarin's monstrous $11 million cap hit would almost certainly need to be retained 50%, which alone raises the trade value a clear amount. Even then, it would be very tough for Boston to make that money work without parting with a contributor in the lineup like Casey Mittelstadt or Viktor Arvidsson, both of whom have been red-hot, and Boston very likely would not part with them for a rental.