The Calgary Flames and Rasmus Andersson are going to be parting ways. It may not come right away, but all signs are pointing towards the 28-year-old being traded by the only NHL organization he’s known to this point in his career. Some believe the deal will take place this offseason, while others have suggested it may not come until the 2026 Trade Deadline.
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By no means are the Flames doing this out of frustration with Andersson. In fact, both parties appear to be quite happy with one another. The issue is that the Swedish defenceman is seeking out a long-term deal, and giving him that type of lucrative contract doesn’t make sense for the Flames with where they are as an organization.
Andersson is a player many teams would love to have, which should allow for the Flames to garner a sizable return. His $4.55 million cap hit for the 2025-26 season would also make him an easy add for many teams, including Stanley Cup contenders. That said, the Buffalo Sabres, who are far from a Cup contender, are needing to make a big push to turn things around, and could wind up being the next home for Andersson.
Sabres Need Blue Line Upgrade
While the Sabres do have some impressive young talent throughout their lineup, including the back end, they need an upgrade on their blue line if they hope to have any sort of success in 2025-26. They ended last season with Connor Clifton playing top-four minutes on their right side, and, with no disrespect to the 30-year-old, Andersson is a clear upgrade. In fact, most would agree Andersson is a better player than Mattias Samuelsson, who was playing top-pairing minutes for the Sabres this past season.
Andersson could immediately join the Sabres and play alongside fellow countryman Rasmus Dahlin on the Sabres’ top pairing for next season. It would not only give them a major upgrade in terms of on-ice play, but would add a veteran presence to a very young and inexperienced locker room.
Andersson, who has logged 536-career NHL games and an additional 27 in the playoffs, would bring a ton of experience to the Sabres. He has also served as a Flames alternate captain for the past three seasons, proving he has excellent leadership qualities.
Sabres Desperate to Make Moves
What makes the Sabres a great trading partner for the Flames is that there isn’t a franchise…
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