Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund didn’t hold back when asked about the future of fellow Swede and longtime teammate Rasmus Andersson.

During the NHL player media tour in Europe on Wednesday, Backlund gave a blunt assessment when speaking to The Athletic’s Michael Russo:

“Yeah, he’s getting traded. It’s obvious,” Backlund said. “But the team wants value. He wants a big contract. So he wants to play well.”

“It’s too bad it’s come to this,” he continued. “I don’t think that they’re close to getting an agreement or anything, but you never know. Things could change. We’ll see.”

It’s a rare, candid comment from a captain—acknowledging both the business side of the game and the reality that Andersson’s days in Calgary could be numbered. If neither side wants this to linger as a distraction, a resolution may need to come sooner rather than later.

Andersson, entering the final year of a six-year, $27.3 million contract with an annual cap hit of $4.55 million, posted 11 goals and 31 points last season.