As the Calgary Flames head into another season of transition, there is one major decision looming that could shape the trajectory of the team’s blue line—and maybe their rebuild as a whole. What do they do with Rasmus Andersson? The 27-year-old defenceman is entering the final year of his six-year deal, and the Flames have to weigh their options: extend him, or move him before he potentially walks next summer as an unrestricted free agent (UFA). On paper, it seems like a no-brainer. He’s a top-four defenceman, plays heavy minutes, and brings edge, experience, and leadership to a locker room that should be shedding more veterans than it’s adding. But when you look closer—both at the numbers and the direction of the team—the picture gets more complicated. © John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/888cc8ac-b08a-4a30-ad94-a0e9c46234bc.jpeg] © John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images STILL A WORKHORSE, STILL A WARRIOR There’s no questioning Andersson’s usage or his toughness. He averaged 23:59 of ice time last season, ranking 18th among NHL defencemen. That’s top-pair territory, night in and night out. One of the most underrated elements of his game is his willingness to block shots. He ranked 4th in the NHL last season with 196 blocked shots, finishing ahead of both Mackenzie Weegar (192) and former Flames fan-favourite Chris Tanev (189), now with the Toronto Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs]. (And if you’re beating Tanev in the blocks column, you’re doing something right.) He’s reliable, too. Andersson suited up for 81 games last season, and when you’re logging those kinds of minutes against top competition, that availability counts for a lot. THE DEFENSIVE DIP It wasn’t all sunshine on the stat sheet, however. Andersson ended the 2024–25 season with a -38 rating, which was the worst of his career and one of the lowest plus/minus on the team. It’s a far cry from the +30 he posted in 82 games just two years ago. That stat doesn’t always tell the whole story—but it paints a picture. Whether it’s a sign of regression, or just a tough season on an inconsistent team, the defensive side of his game trended in the wrong direction. Offensively, he was steady—but not spectacular. He tied a career high with 11 goals and finished with 31 points, which you’ll take from a second-pairing right-shot defender. But with the Flames looking to get younger and faster, and already having Weegar and rookie Zayne Parekh [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/calgary-flames/players/flames-rookie-phenom-zayne-parekh-ready-for-prime-time] as right-shot options, the long-term fit becomes a question. © Sergei Belski-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/2bcdc3db-a6ee-4dba-bb6e-8b5c8d4d333f.jpeg] © Sergei Belski-Imagn Images THE MARKET: WHO’S CALLING? There’s no shortage of interest in a reliable, right-shot, top-four D-man who plays with bite. Andersson’s trade value isn’t at its absolute peak, but he’s still a coveted asset. The catch? He has a six-team no-trade list, which narrows the field. Still, there are a few clubs who’ve been circling. Dallas Stars The rumour mill has been buzzing around Dallas [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars] for months. At face value, it makes sense—they’re in their contending window and could use more playoff-style depth on the blue line. But it gets complicated. With Miro Heiskanen, Esa Lindell, Ilya Lyubushkin, and rising star Thomas Harley already eating up major minutes, Andersson might be fighting for ice. That said, if Calgary could pry Lian Bichsel (the 6-foot-5 Swiss defender who played 38 games for the Stars last year) in return—or even swing big for top forward prospect Mavrik Bourque—it would go a long way toward reshaping the Flames’ future core. Bourque just posted better than a point-per-game season in the AHL (77 points in 71 games) and could be a dynamic piece in Calgary’s top-six plans moving forward. © Sergei Belski-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/2b9aaf3a-63fe-4cad-9c49-1836147d65e9.jpeg] © Sergei Belski-Imagn Images Vegas Golden Knights A reunion with Noah Hanifin and a roster built for deep playoff runs makes Vegas a logical fit. Andersson’s rugged style and leadership would mesh well with the Golden Knights’ identity. If Calgary’s looking to restock the cupboards, Kaedan Korczak or Lukas Cormier [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vegas-golden-knights/latest-news/golden-knights-sign-lukas-cormier-to-a-one-year-contract] could be intriguing additions—young, mobile defenders with NHL upside. Korczak, in particular, plays with a similar physicality to Andersson and could slide into a depth role right away. Toronto Maple Leafs Don’t count out Toronto. Leafs’ GM Brad Treliving, who drafted Andersson in 2015, has always valued right-shot defenders, and Andersson fits the mold. The Leafs added Tanev last summer, and reuniting him with Andersson would give Toronto much-needed stability. The cap gymnastics would be tricky, but not impossible, and if the Flames could extract a prospect or a younger roster player (Nick Robertson, anyone? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/nick-robertson-s-arbitration-filing-with-maple-leafs-revealed-what-each-side-submitted]), it might make sense—especially if the Leafs see themselves as a legitimate contender. Carolina Hurricanes Carolina [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes] has the cap space—roughly $10.6 million—and just lost Brent Burns to the Colorado Avalanche [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/colorado-avalanche]. They’re still in a win-now window and could use Andersson’s presence on the blue line to get over the playoff hump. Now here’s where it gets spicy: Alexander Nikishin. The 23-year-old Russian phenom set a KHL record for scoring by a Russian-born defenceman (55 points in 65 games in 2022-23) and has the kind of top-pairing upside that teams dream about. Is it likely Carolina parts with him? Probably not. Still, he’d slot in beautifully alongside the rest of Calgary’s emerging Russian defensive core in Daniil Miromanov, Yan Kuznetsov, Ilya Solovyov [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/calgary-flames/players/blueline-boost-meet-the-flames-prospects-pushing-for-nhl-jobs] or Artem Grushnikov. If you’re Craig Conroy, you have to at least ask. SO… WHAT DO THE FLAMES DO? Here’s the dilemma: Andersson is a proven NHL defenceman with bite, edge, and leadership—and the Flames don’t exactly have a ton of those guys left. You could extend him, ride out the season, and re-evaluate at the deadline when his value may be higher, but that’s a gamble. If the team struggles and his numbers don’t rebound, you risk getting less—or nothing—when free agency hits. On the flip side, moving him now for young pieces that align with the timeline of this next-gen Flames team might be the smarter long-term play. No decision will be perfect, but with Andersson’s contract expiring and a rebuild still underway, this is one of those inflection points that can quietly reshape a franchise’s trajectory. Whether he’s blocking shots in Calgary this spring—or in another city come March—the Andersson storyline is just heating up. © Sergei Belski-Imagn Images © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Follow Bryan Wilson on X! [https://x.com/bryanwilsonhky?s=21]
