Pending Golden Knights UFA Rasmus Andersson hopes to re-sign with club
The Vegas Golden Knights are licking their wounds following their loss in the Stanley Cup Final to the Carolina Hurricanes, but the calendar dictates that it’s time for the team to move forward and attack a crucial offseason.
Just on Tuesday, the team announced that John Tortorella would not return as head coach next season and held its postseason player media availabilities.
Among those who took questions was defenseman Rasmus Andersson, who came over in a blockbuster trade at the deadline with the Calgary Flames that saw general manager Kelly McCrimmon part with defenseman Zach Whitecloud, prospect Abram Wiebe, a 2027 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick.
Andersson is slated to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and if he does make it to the market, he would be one of the most well-regarded players available in free agency.
“‘I’ve loved everything about Vegas, and I’ve really enjoyed being here,” Andersson said. “I would love to come back, and I would love to work with (GM) Kelly (McCrimmon) and find a solution. Being back here would be awesome. We were this close to winning. That’s all I wanted when I was in Calgary, to have a chance to win.”
Andersson is closing out a six-year contract he signed while in Calgary that carries a salary cap hit of $4.55 million. Given some of the solid years he turned with the Flames and the increasing salary cap, he’s due a sizable raise.
“But I haven’t really thought about it a whole lot,” Andersson added on his contract situation. “It’s the disappointment of losing the final. That’s what’s been on your mind. I’ve just really enjoyed being here.”
It was a whirlwind season for Andersson, who finished with the year with 47 points in 81 regular season games before adding 6 points in 22 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Andersson’s offensive impact was limited in the postseason, as he went from scoring 17 goals in the regular season to zero in the playoffs. He struggled analytically as well, posting a 5-on-5 expected goals share of 44.53%, second worst among regular Knights skaters only to his partner Noah Hanifin.
But between his participation with Team Sweden in the Winter Olympics, the mid-season trade and a personal tragedy during the postseason, it’s easy to understand why Andersson was not quite at the top of his game by the end of the year.
“It’s probably the craziest year I’ve ever been a part of. It really started a year ago, when the first trade calls came in. It went all the way until January when I got traded, and then you adapt and you try to fit in here, you play a slightly different role than you’re used to, and then you’re off to the Olympics. You come back and you barely know what time zone you’re in or which city you’re in. And then, right before the finals, a very close friend and good mentor to me passed away (Claude Lemieux). So it’s just been a lot this year. I just need some time off from hockey, I think.”
If Andersson is going to get his wish and become a long-term member of the Golden Knights, McCrimmon will need to clear some salary cap space. According to PuckPedia, Vegas currently has just $4.625 million of room under next year’s salary cap with both Andersson and pending restricted free agent winger Pavel Dorofeyev in need of new deals.