Rasmus Andersson generating interest as Flames continue to slide out of playoff picture

While the Calgary Flames have seen some improvement in recent games, a chance at a playoff spot still seems very slim. The rest of the Western Conference is keeping pace, if not exceeding the Flames, which means they’ll have to start looking towards the trade deadline at some point.

One name everyone is keeping an eye on in Calgary is Rasmus Andersson. The right-shot defenseman is in the final year of his six-year contract with a $4.55 million cap hit, and he will be a top commodity on the market once the Flames decide to start selling.

But when will the Flames finally decide to start selling? David Pagnotta joined Daily Faceoff Live to talk about when the Flames will look to start making moves, and what to expect from the Andersson sweepstakes.

David Pagnotta: I think [Andersson’s] a name that will be moved at some point this season, whether it’s sooner or later. Sooner as in I don’t anticipate it now or in the next week or two. I think Calgary is still a few weeks away from really accepting their fate, is how I’ll put it, because I think they’re going to, unless they go on some miracle run and I just don’t see that, they’re going to end up moving out some pieces.

Anderson’s certainly a guy that’s generating interest. It still sounds like Vegas and Dallas are the two teams that are at the top of his wish list, and he would be willing to sign an extension there. But, are there other teams that would value him as, “look, we need this guy now. We want to go on a cup run, we’re going to pay a little bit extra. We’ll figure out the offseason stuff later. If he leaves, he leaves.” That primary rental kind of guy.

But he’s going to lead that, and I think Blake Coleman’s going to continue to generate interest and some of the other pieces on that team, whether it’s Nazem Kadri or whomever else that are going to look to say, “all right, if one guy’s going, if we’re going in this direction, then maybe I’ll consider it.”

But yeah, I think the Flames are still a week, two weeks away from really just accepting the fact that it’s going to be a retool-type season.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Yeah, I see the headline on The Fourth Period from Andersson saying “whatever happens, happens”. Like you mentioned, Dallas and Vegas have always been the teams that we’ve speculated on he’d sign with. Is he maybe residing like “you know what, I might just have to go somewhere as a rental this year”?

David Pagnotta: If it’s not a team on his list, then it’s really in the hands of Craig Conroy. Whatever return he can maximize, then he’ll do it. If he can get a better deal from either Dallas or Vegas because there’s an extension attached to it, he’ll do it. If not, if it’s, I’m just gonna throw Tampa out there for fun. If it’s them or another team, if the return is viewed better, then he’ll go in that direction.

As long as it’s a team where there’s nothing preventing a move from happening, then I think Conway is just going to max whatever the return is. If it’s the Stars or the Knights, great for Rasmus, but if not, then he’ll figure out his stuff afterwards.

You can watch the full episode here…