Rasmus Andersson the lone Calgary Flames player selected to this winter's best-on-best international tournament

Known for staring down a fan cheering for the opposition when he scores a goal this season, Calgary Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson will have to look for different nations' jerseys come February. 

The 28-year-old will be joining Team Sweden in the 4-Nations Face-off from Feb. 12-20 in Boston and Montreal. 

He's the only member of the current Calgary Flames roster selected to any of the teams from Sweden, Finland, the U.S. and Canada. Mikael Backlund was left off Team Sweden and MacKenzie Weegar was a Team Canada hopeful. Both could be potential injury replacements, though. 

Joining Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Ekholm, Jonas Brodin, Victor Hedman, Erik Karlsson and Gustav Forsling on a stacked Swedish back end, Andersson will wear blue and gold for the first time since the IIHF U18 World Championship in 2014.

"It means a lot," Andersson told reporters on Wednesday. "It’s the first time in a long time I get to play in the national team. "It’s something I’m super-excited about.

"I couldn’t be more happy and proud that I made the team."

He should be. The Malmo product leads all Flames blueliners with six goals and 15 points this season, and is second in overall points. 

“You’re now playing against the best of the best,” said Flames head coach Ryan Huska, who also coached Andersson in the AHL. “I know there’s a country or two missing in there, but these are the best players. And when you find yourself in that category, I think it allows you to puff your chest up a little bit. It is recognition of what he’s done over the years and how he’s made himself a better player."

Andersson has had a stellar season, and is coming off scoring the winning goal in an emotional 3-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets with Johnny Gaudreau's family in attendance for a special pre-game ceremony. 

"He's a difference-maker for us," Huska said. "And he's someone we lean on."